The National Museum of Art, Osaka and the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka are pooling their collections and expertise for a new joint project called Collections in Nakanoshima (NMAO–NAKKA), aimed at boosting the cultural appeal of the Nakanoshima area and revitalizing the neighborhood. Through this partnership, the two museums hope to deepen understanding of the artists and works in their collections while spreading the word about Nakanoshima's cultural charm.
As the first step in this collaboration, The National Museum of Art, Osaka is displaying eight drawings by Atsuko Tanaka from the collection of the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, alongside its own Tanaka works, as part of the ongoing exhibition "50th Anniversary Preview: Collection 1 — I / Act" (running July 19 to November 3).
Atsuko Tanaka (1932–2005)
Born in Osaka, Atsuko Tanaka is one of the leading Japanese artists of the postwar era. She joined the Gutai Art Association — a group with deep ties to the Nakanoshima area of Osaka — in 1955 and remained a key member throughout her career. Drawing inspiration from light bulbs, tubes, and the cords connecting them, she developed a distinctive visual language that has earned international acclaim. Her best-known works include Electric Dress (1956, recreated in 1986; collection of the Takamatsu Art Museum / 高松市美術館) and Hell Gate (地獄門; 1965–69; collection of The National Museum of Art, Osaka).
The exhibition serves as a preview for The National Museum of Art, Osaka's 50th anniversary in 2027. This year's collection exhibition is split into two parts, looking back at art up through around 1977, the year the museum opened. "Collection 1: I / Act" presents about 140 works ranging from Paul Cézanne through the mid-1960s.
The exhibition's final chapter spotlights women artists who left a significant mark on postwar art. Here, Tanaka's large-scale painting Hell Gate and a photograph of her wearing Electric Dress (taken by Kiyoji Otsuji), both from the collection of The National Museum of Art, Osaka, are shown alongside eight of her drawings from the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka — bringing together the two museums' holdings to trace the artist's thinking and creative process in the round.
Highlights
The National Museum of Art, Osaka holds Tanaka's signature work Hell Gate. The intricate web of circles and lines rendered in glossy paint is said to derive from the wiring diagram for Electric Dress, which Tanaka created in 1956.
The drawings held by the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka were shown together with Electric Dress at the 2nd Gutai Art Exhibition in 1956 (小原会館 / Ohara Kaikan, Tokyo). Despite being drawings, their imposing scale — 110 by 77 centimeters — is striking to see in person.
The exhibition brings together a photograph of Tanaka wearing Electric Dress, the drawings that grew out of that piece, and Hell Gate, which shows her mature painting style. Made possible by the partnership between the two museums, this display offers a rare, three-dimensional look at the creative trajectory of Atsuko Tanaka, one of Osaka's leading artists — an opportunity unique to the Collections in Nakanoshima project.
Kiyoji Otsuji, photograph from GUTAI PHOTOGRAPH 1956–1957: Atsuko Tanaka's Electric Dress, 1956, collection of The National Museum of Art, Osaka
Atsuko Tanaka, Untitled (1), 1956, collection of the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. © Kanayama Akira and Tanaka Atsuko Association
Atsuko Tanaka, Untitled (6), 1956, collection of the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. © Kanayama Akira and Tanaka Atsuko Association
Atsuko Tanaka, Hell Gate, 1965–69, collection of The National Museum of Art, Osaka. © Kanayama Akira and Tanaka Atsuko Association
About Collections in Nakanoshima
Collections in Nakanoshima (NMAO–NAKKA) is a new partnership between The National Museum of Art, Osaka and the neighboring Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, drawing on both museums' rich collections and expertise. With inbound tourism on the rise and urban tourism diversifying in recent years, the two museums plan to develop joint programs together over several years. By working together, these two cultural anchors of Osaka's Nakanoshima area aim to enrich the arts and culture available to local residents, encourage exchange among visitors, and further boost the appeal and vitality of the Nakanoshima area through the power of art.
Planned initiatives for fiscal year 2026
- Display of works from The National Museum of Art, Osaka's collection at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka (planned for October 10 to November 7, 2026): In the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka's second-floor multipurpose space — used for solo exhibitions by up-and-coming Kansai-based artists and as a unique event venue — a selection of works from The National Museum of Art, Osaka's collection, centered on sculpture and video art, will be on display.
- Symposium (planned for November 3, 2026): Held at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka during its display of works from The National Museum of Art, Osaka, the symposium will bring together the directors, curators, and represented artists of both museums for a discussion themed around "Building and Utilizing Museum Collections" (tentative).
Exhibition Information: "50th Anniversary Preview: Collection 1 — I / Act"
- Dates: July 19 (Sunday) to November 3 (Tuesday, holiday), 2026
- Venue: The National Museum of Art, Osaka, B2F Exhibition Room (4-2-55 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka)
- Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Fridays until 8:00 PM (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
- Closed: Mondays (open July 20, September 21, October 12, and November 2), plus July 21, September 24, and October 13
- Organizer: The National Museum of Art, Osaka
- Sponsor: 公益財団法人ダイキン工業現代美術振興財団
- Curator: 正路佐知子 (Senior Researcher, The National Museum of Art, Osaka)
- Admission: General ¥430 (¥220 for groups of 20 or more), university students ¥130 (¥70 for groups). Free for high school students and younger, those under 18, and those 65 and older (proof of age required). Visitors with disabilities and one accompanying companion are admitted free of charge (proof required). Evening discount (Fridays, 5:00 PM–8:00 PM): general ¥250, university students ¥70.
- Combined ticket: Admission is also included with a ticket to the special exhibition "Aki Sasamoto: Laboratory" (also running July 19 to November 3).
- Free admission days: July 25, August 1, August 21*, August 22*, August 28*, August 29*, September 4*, September 5*, September 11*, September 12*, September 18*, September 19*, September 25*, September 26*, October 3, October 16*, October 17*, October 23*, October 24*, and November 3, 2026.
- *Laboratory Special Free Days: On these dates, both the special exhibition "Aki Sasamoto: Laboratory" and this collection exhibition can be viewed free of charge. Thanks to a ¥15 million personal donation to the "Aki Sasamoto: Laboratory" exhibition from 牧寛之, President and Representative Director of BUFFALO INC., the museum is offering 16 such free-admission days between late August and October.
