Day 12 features Yoshiaki Ishii, Hoshino Resorts, who played a central role in the establishment of the museum as a project manager.
Nara Prison encompasses a wide range of stories, from architecture and penal administration to history and art. Diverse ideas were born through the participation of many people, including Art Director Taku Satoh, Museography Supervisor Adrien Gardère, and the researchers and designers responsible for each theme. We told Taku Satoh, who has been involved from the beginning, that we wanted to plan the museum in an agile manner. With his agreement, we proceeded with our considerations, relying on his expertise quite a bit. After much trial and error, and with future exhibition updates in mind, we arrived at a structure consisting of Block A: History and Architecture, Block B: Discipline and Life, and Block C: Prison and Art. Visitors are free to choose where their interests lie and how they relate to the exhibits. There may be no need to find immediate answers to the questions posed by the beautiful prison. I hope the time spent at the museum serves as an opportunity to positively re-examine one’s relationship with society.
Yoshiaki Ishii began his involvement with the Nara Prison Museum project in early 2020. Over the past seven years, as a project manager, he has handled a wide range of duties, including negotiations with the Ministry of Justice, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and construction companies, conducting hearings with experts on exhibition content, and holding meetings with Art Director Taku Satoh. With the opening approaching, Mr. Ishii says, I feel like Beethoven having just finished composing his Ninth Symphony after starting from the First.
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