We closed out our Japan travels with a lovely stay on the 31st floor of the Park Prince overlooking Tokyo Tower. Tourist trap or local treasure? You decide.
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Ron Mueck
Mass
The room of skulls at the Mori Art Museum houses Ron Mueck’s most monumental masterwork, a site-specific installation titled Mass (2016–2017). This towering exhibition fills a vast 300-square-meter gallery with exactly 100 custom-sculpted, giant human skulls made from resin and fiberglass, each standing up to 1.5 meters tall. Mueck intentionally rearranges the massive pile to interact with the unique architecture of every museum it visits, creating a labyrinth-like environment where visitors must walk directly through the towering mounds of bone. Though the skulls look identical from afar, closer inspection reveals subtle differences in bone structure and color tone, transforming a seemingly uniform pile into a collective group of individual subjects.The title Mass carries layered meanings, referencing a disordered heap, a large gathering of people, and the solemn ritual of a Catholic religious ceremony. Drawing deep inspiration from historical sites like the Paris Catacombs and European cathedrals, the installation powerfully evokes the traditional art concept of Memento Mori, serving as an inescapable reminder of human mortality. The sheer physical presence and scale of the work create a deeply visceral and heavy psychological experience, contrasting the collective weight of human history with the individual fragility of the viewer navigating the space.
Ron Mueck
Dark Place (2018)
It is a 1.4-meter-tall sculpture of a middle-aged man’s head, showing an intense, anguished, and troubled expression.The
Mueck originally planned to make it a self-portrait. He changed his mind after being deeply moved by the raw, anxious facial expressions of a photographer who came to take reference photos in his studio.
The pitch-black room is intentionally built so viewers cannot walk entirely around the head. It holds you at the threshold to force a heavy, intimate psychological connection with the sculpture.
Tunnel of Light
MAD architects
In 2000, Fram Kitagawa founded the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale with the intention of using art and culture to reinvigorate the Echigo-Tsumari area of Japan, whose population was aging. As part of the 2018 program, the Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel was selected as a site for creation.
The 750-meter (2,460-foot) passageway originally built in 1996 provides the only opportunity to enjoy panoramic views over one of Japan’s three great canyons. However, over time it had gotten run down and it wasn’t functioning to its maximum potential.
Tunnel of Light restored the lookout platforms in uniquely artful ways. Each installation draws on the five elements of nature, reconnecting locals and visitors alike with the majestic beauty of the land.
Periscope, Expression of Color, Invisible Bubble, The Drop, and Light Cave chart a journey through the tunnel. They seek to bring new perspectives to the space and provide a spiritual sense of reflection, relaxation, contemplation, and introspection. Tunnel of Light allows visitors to transcend the role of observer, becoming active participants.
Designed by Hara Hiroshi, MonET is a masterpiece of geometric design, featuring a large, central square pool of water that reflects the surrounding scenery and architecture. It employs exposed concrete and glass to create a “quiet presence” amidst the urban streetscape, including a “nested” structure of rooms, often described as buildings within buildings.
