Contemporary art collector and psychiatrist Takahashi Ryutaro has amassed a collection of more than 2,000 items since 1997. “Messages” showcased a wide range of paintings, videos, and sculptural works, including invaluable early works by Kusama Yayoi and works by leading Japanese contemporary artists of the 1990s and 2000s a long list that includes Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami as well as Chim↑Pom, Kasetsu, and teamLab. The exhibition highlighted the diverse messages of these artists, whose works are an acute reflection of our times. A symposium on contemporary art titled “Communicating by Contemporary Art: Art Museums as the New Cultural Base in the City” was also held during the exhibition, leading to animated discussion on contemporary art and the challenges faced by art museums. [Artists] Makoto Aida, Chim↑Pom, Izumi Kato, Kasetsu, Tomoko Konoike, Mikiko Kumazawa, Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara, Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Nobuaki Takekawa, teamLab, Akira Yamaguchi, Kenji Yanobe and more [Basic Information] Period: September 19, 2015 - January 11, 2016 Venue: Towada Art Center OFFICIAL WEBSITE