“PROJECT501” launched with the pitch of being an exhibition project focused on art collectors, where “you can actually buy the works on view.” It operates out of “Room 501” in an apartment building located an 8-minute walk from Harajuku Station and a 12-minute walk from Gaienmae Station.
You ring the intercom for “501” and ride up in the elevator — a location with a distinctly private, intimate feel.
The collector featured this time is a woman named Nayo Higashide. Looking at works assembled by a specific collector is enjoyable — you really get a sense of the collector’s character.
Summary
There was a price list for the works on sale, but the pieces from the collector’s holdings did not have captions, so there were works where I could not tell who the artist even was.
Judging from the collection on view, they had chosen a genuinely interesting collector, so digging deeper into the collector’s personality and the stories behind how each work was acquired could produce a color no one else has. It would also be fun to vary the way works are displayed.
It is a challenging attempt, and I will be watching what they do next with great interest.
