Culture and Arts
December, 2009 Sixth Charity Art Auction
MC held the sixth charity auction for the Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program on December 5 and 12, 2009, and 120 people attended the event.
The theme of the event was "kizuna" which means "cherished connections between people," and the objective was to nurture young artists and support their careers. The 50 works that were selected from those who applied were exhibited at two places: 29 works at the Mitsubishi Shoji Building in Marunouchi and 21 works at GYRE in Omotesando. Amidst a friendly atmosphere in which visitors mingled with the artists, all works were sold.
The objectives of this program are steadily being realized such as by providing the participating artists with the opportunity for them to publicize their private exhibitions.
October, 2008 Holds the "1st Charity Art Auction"
On Saturday, October 4, 2008, at the Mitsubishi Corporation in Marunouchi, an auction was held of 40 works of art focusing on the theme of "Living with Nature," which MC had purchased by public invitation. About 170 people of the general public attended the auction.
The art works were exhibited at the auction and the artists also attended. The people attending the auction embraced the opportunity to mingle with the artists and the auction commenced in a congenial atmosphere. One artist, whose comment was representative of the general consensus, said, "the experience of witnessing the process of one's own artwork being put under the gaze of many eyes and then being handed over to someone by auction was tremendous motivation to continue my art activities. I would like to apply for the 'Art Gate Program' again." The first auction was a tremendous success with all the art works getting sold under the hammer.
CSR and Environmental Topics has been updated.
June, 2008 Supporting Artists by Promoting a Culture of Viewing and Buying of Art
This time, 40 works of art, focusing on the theme of "Living with Nature," were displayed on the 4th floor of the Marunouchi Office.
In June 2008, MC launched the Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program ("MCAGP") in order to foster the development of talented young artists. Specifically, the program seeks to support students and recent graduates of arts schools in Japan, who lack opportunities to display their work. The MCAGP will purchase as many as 200 works of art from such artists each year. The works will subsequently be sold through auctions, after being displayed at the Marunouchi Office and other venues. The proceeds will be a scholarship for the artists.
The MCAGP will periodically invite artists to submit artwork and hold auctions. Through these auctions, MC aims to foster a culture where people don't just view art, but also seek to buy art and support artists.
