The Suntory Museum in Osaka is one of the best projects of the
Japanese architect
Tadao Ando. It explores the
relationships between man, water, and architecture, a very important
theme for him.
The museum was founded on November 3, 1994, with
the support of Suntory, a Japanese producer of liquors. The cultural
complex contains a gallery of art and design, an IMAX 3D cinema, a
series of shops, and a restaurant. Each of these elements is positioned
with regard to the waters of Osaka Bay and the natural environment. The
museum extends towards the sea along a piazza that is 300 feet long and
120 feet deep.
The exhibit space is divided in two parts. One
part has an open plan for hosting temporary exibits. The other has more
well-defined spaces for the works in the permanent collection. This
part, known as the Gallery, boasts a collection of more than fifteen
thousand works by artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha, and
Cassandre.
Moleskine has produced two personalized versions of
its legendary notebook for the Suntory Museum, one red and the other
black.
The cover is embossed with a reproduction of the building's special
architectural shape, while the inside has the museum's logo in gold
letters.
This exclusive object was first presented on the occasion of the
museum's Picasso exhibit. Besides being a gift to the members of the
museum, it is also available in the Suntory Museum Shop.
For further info:
http://www.suntory.com
