Contributing to the World Through Open Artistic Activities

Mr. Hidekazu YOSHIDA,
Director General of Art Tower Mito

This text is abstract of the speech at the opening ceremony. The recording of the speech is devided 9 parts. (The speech is Japanese.)
The speech data is RealAudio Format. You can get RealAudio Player from http://www.realaudio.com/hpproducts/player/index.html.

Art Tower Mito is unique -- not only in Japan but perhaps the world as a whole -- in its comprehensive treatment of the arts, with dramatic plays and musical concerts being performed alongside exhibitions of art.
The arts involve the premonition, presentiment and prediction of humankind's current condition, our future direction and future possibilities of creation -- in other words, they offer a vision of where we and our society are heading. At Art Tower Mito, this function is taken up by the art gallery. At times, the art works exhibited there might be considered by some people as tending toward the weird or strange, but that only serves to emphasize their role as a one suggestion of what tomorrow might be like (or conversely, what one hopes and wishes it would not become). Be that what it may, please enjoy the art that we present.

Greetings - 1

RealAudio format (221K)

Greetings - 2

RealAudio format (223KB)

art gallery

RealAudio format (162MB)

The external manifestation of Mr. Tadashi SUZUKI's plays is marked in its singularity. It would be safe to say that most of his works are grounded solidly in a classical foundation that spans both geography and time: Greek tragedies, Shakespeare, Chekhov, Beckett, and so forth. Simultaneously, he employs the conventions and techniques (such as gait and voice projection) of the traditional Japanese stage, as typified by Noh, Kyogen and Kabuki. For those of us living in the modern world, Suzuki's plays represent the depiction on stage of the integrated body of extremely important and pressing problems. While using ancient and traditional styles, SUZUKI adapts and converts them into his own creative form. Needless to say, his work demonstrates the fundamental function of art. To be more precise, the conversion of tradition into the unique is exactly what art aims to do.

about theatre play

RealAudio format (125KB)

Art Tower Mito was conceived as part of the celebration of Mito's centennial as a municipality. Speaking of one hundred years, that period is only slightly less than the time that Japan has been in contact with Western music. In other words, when Mito was promoted to a "city" a century ago, Japanese were just beginning to play, perform and compose music using the diatonic (do re mi) scale imported from the West. What has the century of Western music meant to Japan? How wonderful it would be to conclude that the result of that century of contact -- during which sounds were heard in Japan that were never heard here before -- has been the fact that we Japanese have opened our arms to and walked in tandem with the rest of the world, rather than staying secluded within the confines of our shores. That holds much more significance than simply citing that Japan has produced musicians of the caliber of Mr. Seiji OZAWA or the like.
Our institution has been fortunate to enjoy the participation of four renowned musicians -- Mr. Ryosuke HATANAKA, Mr. Michio MAMIYA, Mr. Hiroshi WAKASUGI and Mr. Shin'ichiro IKEBE -- in its planning and management committee.

music on concert hall

RealAudio format (215KB)

I have mentioned spoken so far with the intention of informing you in advance about what we at Art Tower Mito intend to provide you. However, the job of art does not merely end there -- with our providing it. For art can only come to fruition once you -- our audience -- visit our galleries/ theater/concert hall at Art Tower Mito and both see and hear what we provide. Your job is to carry on dialogues with the works we display -- criticizing them, sympathizing with them, and being deeply moved by them.

For art...

RealAudio format (248KB)

There is another important thing I must not fail to mention: not only do we ask you to hear and see what we exhibit, but we also request you to display or perform here whatever you may desire. As Art Tower Mito belongs to all the citizens of Mito, it goes without saying that it must remain open to their participation. If the urge strikes you to sing, please come here and do so. At any rate, as long as this institution exists in Mito, it will remain the property of the people of the city. Our mission is to carry out our job in a way that makes all of you feel that Art Tower Mito belongs to you.

Art Towr Mito is bolongs to all the citizens of Mito

RealAudio format (194KB)

Our center for the arts, I feel, must function in a way fully open to anyone and everyone. That is my philosophy as a music critic; as long as I serve as the director general of Art Tower Mito, I will work consistently to make it the premise of this institution. Since the institution ought not to belong just to Mito -- nor ought it to limit its outlook there -- I shall unfailingly try to expand its perspectives beyond city limits. Unless we accomplish that, people around the world will not be willing to welcome Japan and Mito with open arms.

fully open to anyone

RealAudio format (157KB)

While Art Tower Mito belongs to the city of Mito, it must also be something more than that. As it accepts and welcomes what the world has to give, it must also serve as a base for open artistic activities so as to give something back to the world. That is the fundamental principle underlying the activities carried out at Art Tower Mito.

fundamental principle

RealAudio format (197KB)

(This speech was delivered at the opening ceremony held at the Concert Hall ATM on March 21, 1990.)

Translated by Paul T. Narum

Art Tower Mito is unique -- not only in Japan but perhaps the world as a whole -- in its comprehensive treatment of the arts, with dramatic plays and musical concerts being performed alongside exhibitions of art. The arts involve the premonition, presentiment and prediction of humankind's current condition, our future direction and future possibilities of creation -- in other words, they offer a vision of where we and our society are heading. At Art Tower Mito, this function is taken up by the art gallery. At times, the art works exhibited there might be considered by some people as tending toward the weird or strange, but that only serves to emphasize their role as a one suggestion of what tomorrow might be like (or conversely, what one hopes and wishes it would not become). Be that what it may, please enjoy the art that we present.	Greetings - 1 RealAudio format (221K) Greetings - 2 RealAudio format (223KB) art gallery RealAudio format (162MB)
The external manifestation of Mr. Tadashi SUZUKI's plays is marked in its singularity. It would be safe to say that most of his works are grounded solidly in a classical foundation that spans both geography and time: Greek tragedies, Shakespeare, Chekhov, Beckett, and so forth. Simultaneously, he employs the conventions and techniques (such as gait and voice projection) of the traditional Japanese stage, as typified by Noh, Kyogen and Kabuki. For those of us living in the modern world, Suzuki's plays represent the depiction on stage of the integrated body of extremely important and pressing problems. While using ancient and traditional styles, SUZUKI adapts and converts them into his own creative form. Needless to say, his work demonstrates the fundamental function of art. To be more precise, the conversion of tradition into the unique is exactly what art aims to do.	about theatre play RealAudio format (125KB)
Art Tower Mito was conceived as part of the celebration of Mito's centennial as a municipality. Speaking of one hundred years, that period is only slightly less than the time that Japan has been in contact with Western music. In other words, when Mito was promoted to a "city" a century ago, Japanese were just beginning to play, perform and compose music using the diatonic (do re mi) scale imported from the West. What has the century of Western music meant to Japan? How wonderful it would be to conclude that the result of that century of contact -- during which sounds were heard in Japan that were never heard here before -- has been the fact that we Japanese have opened our arms to and walked in tandem with the rest of the world, rather than staying secluded within the confines of our shores. That holds much more significance than simply citing that Japan has produced musicians of the caliber of Mr. Seiji OZAWA or the like. Our institution has been fortunate to enjoy the participation of four renowned musicians -- Mr. Ryosuke HATANAKA, Mr. Michio MAMIYA, Mr. Hiroshi WAKASUGI and Mr. Shin'ichiro IKEBE -- in its planning and management committee.	music on concert hall RealAudio format (215KB)
I have mentioned spoken so far with the intention of informing you in advance about what we at Art Tower Mito intend to provide you. However, the job of art does not merely end there -- with our providing it. For art can only come to fruition once you -- our audience -- visit our galleries/ theater/concert hall at Art Tower Mito and both see and hear what we provide. Your job is to carry on dialogues with the works we display -- criticizing them, sympathizing with them, and being deeply moved by them.	For art... RealAudio format (248KB)
There is another important thing I must not fail to mention: not only do we ask you to hear and see what we exhibit, but we also request you to display or perform here whatever you may desire. As Art Tower Mito belongs to all the citizens of Mito, it goes without saying that it must remain open to their participation. If the urge strikes you to sing, please come here and do so. At any rate, as long as this institution exists in Mito, it will remain the property of the people of the city. Our mission is to carry out our job in a way that makes all of you feel that Art Tower Mito belongs to you.	Art Towr Mito is bolongs to all the citizens of Mito RealAudio format (194KB)
Our center for the arts, I feel, must function in a way fully open to anyone and everyone. That is my philosophy as a music critic; as long as I serve as the director general of Art Tower Mito, I will work consistently to make it the premise of this institution. Since the institution ought not to belong just to Mito -- nor ought it to limit its outlook there -- I shall unfailingly try to expand its perspectives beyond city limits. Unless we accomplish that, people around the world will not be willing to welcome Japan and Mito with open arms.	fully open to anyone RealAudio format (157KB)
While Art Tower Mito belongs to the city of Mito, it must also be something more than that. As it accepts and welcomes what the world has to give, it must also serve as a base for open artistic activities so as to give something back to the world. That is the fundamental principle underlying the activities carried out at Art Tower Mito.	fundamental principle RealAudio format (197KB)