慶應義塾大学アート・センター Keio University Art Center

Mission

Enriching Human Development

We aim to cultivate new artistic and cultural sensitivities, which facilitate the emergence of value systems appropriate to our current environment, and enable the creative development of individuals.  Trans Art Contemporary art is not confined to distinct genres, but engaged in the development of collaborations (cooperative ventures) that straddle various spheres. Whilst keeping in mind the history and tradition of artistic activities, we also seek to investigate innovations that arise at the “sites” of discursive exchange in a trans-art practice, with the intention of developing artistic theories oriented towards the future.

Information Concerning Art

The surplus of information in today’s cultural environment can tend to lead to a sensory overload. It is therefore our intention to collect and present, as well as receive and transmit, information on artistic materials in a coherent manner, whilst remaining sensitive to its surrounding context. By studying the role and significance that information has with respect to culture, we aim to present new proposals on our public treasures and archives.

Arts Management

With an increasing need for artistic activities to become communal, it is necessary to develop a variety of new methods and modes of practice. We aim to think beyond practical and commercial concerns, in order to develop a philosophy that re-investigates the significance of art in contemporary society.

Open Forum

It is not possible to engage with contemporary forms of knowledge and experience without investigating new types of encounter, for example, through “dialogues” that take information media as their stage, or “workshops” based upon a shared physical environment. We aim to promote research, education, and the practice of these activities through open forums that present collaborative projects and exchanges between a variety of groups, organizations, and individuals. In these activities, we hope to include individuals and groups from both within and outside the university, domestically as well as internationally.