History

2006
August
Ikegami Hiroko and Kajiya Kenji propose the idea of an oral history archive.

November
Sumitomo Fumihiko and Washida Meruro join to prepare for the project launch.

December
Adachi Gen, Awata Daisuke, Ikegami, Kajiya, Sumitomo, and Washida found the Oral History Archives of Japanese Art. Thereafter they discuss the scope of archival activities and their interview methods.

2007
August
The Archives’ first interview: artist Shiraga Kazuo.

2008
The Archives receives grants from The Ishibashi Foundation, The Pola Art Foundation, and The Kajima Foundation for the Arts. It also receives financial support from the Osaka University Global COE Program, "Conflict Studies in the Humanities."

June
Makiguchi Chinatsu joins the Archives.

October
Sakagami Shinobu joins the Archives.

December
Kaburaki Azusa joins the Archives.

2009
The Archives receives grants from The Ishibashi Foundation and Hiroshima City University, in addition to further financial support from the Osaka University Global COE Program, "Conflict Studies in the Humanities."

January
Miyata Yūka joins the Archives.

June
The Archives launches its website, offering free public access to nine oral history interviews.

July
Nakajima Izumi joins the Archives.

September
Tsuji Yasutaka joins the Archives.

November
The Archives holds its first symposium, titled "The Possibilities of Oral Art History," at the National Museum of Art, Osaka.

Kajiya contributes the essay, "Recounted Art History: Towards Making the Oral History Archives of Japanese Art," to Kajima Bijutsu Kenkyū [Kajima Art Studies].

2010
The Archives receives grants from The Ishibashi Foundation and Hiroshima City University, and further financial support from the Osaka University Global COE Program, "Conflict Studies in the Humanities."

February
The Archives holds its first workshop, titled "Oral History and Understanding Post-WWII Art," at Hiroshima City University.

March
Kajiya contributes the essay, "Oral History Archives of Japanese Art and the Future of Documents on Art," to Aida [In-Between].

May
Ikegami contributes the essay, "Looking back on the symposium The Possibilities of Oral Art History," to Shikaku no genba [Seasonal opinions on visual facts].

August
The Archives uploads its twentieth interview on its website.

October
Ikegami presents the lecture "Toward Oral Histories of Art in Asia" at the sixth Asian Museum Curator's Conference in Bangalore in India.