Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art

In detail

The Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (Hiroshima MOCA) is the city’s foremost venue for modern artistic expression, and was Japan’s very first public museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. Opened in 1989, it is housed within a striking building located amid lush greenery atop the hillside Hijiyama Park. Visitors are rewarded with not only cutting-edge art but also sweeping views out over the city. The work of architect Kurokawa Kisho (1934–2007), the building’s design is intended to subtly mirror the evolution of civilization and also the museum’s own pioneering spirit; rising up the slope toward the circular central structure, the materials employed progress from natural to artificial, and the building blends harmoniously with its surroundings.

The MOCA’s program is split between themed displays of works from its permanent collection and a diverse lineup of special exhibitions, including both solo and group shows, that explore the latest developments in art both in Japan and overseas. Collection-based exhibitions frequently feature pieces from such world-class artists as Andy Warhol, Sugimoto Hiroshi, and Yves Klein, as well as works inspired by Hiroshima’s atomic experience. One permanent installation is situated on MOCA’s grounds: “Earth Call Hiroshima” (1996), by Okamoto Atsuo, invites visitors to call a telephone number that enables them to hear their own amplified voice echo out over the hillside. In turn, people from anywhere in the world can call the number to hear the “sound” of Hiroshima.