Albert Heta

It was the first time that I had the chance to participate at a CIMAM Annual Conference, and I think that this experience, this heavily condensed input, will have an important influence in my future work and the work of the institution where i work and add an important perspective regarding current issues and challenges that my peers, who work in modern and contemporary art institutions or organize contemporary art events situated in dissimilar realities throughout the word, are facing.

CIMAM Annual Conference in Tokyo was also a fantastic opportunity to hear and meet professionals that follow and analyze developments that concern the historical and present structure and the role of museums and art spaces in societies around the world and I can mention here specially important positions for me expressed by Patricia Falguières in the introductory keynote lecture of the conference.

Another important point to mention in this short report is that CIMAM Annual Conference in Tokyo was happening in a challenging time for the context and the institution where I work, a challenging time for many professionals and institutions throughout the world and a time when CIMAM as a mechanism is undergoing not only a legal transformation.

Debates about this process and strategies for enhancing the capacity and relevance of similar mechanisms I find relevant not only because of our context, where we struggle against political and party control in arts and culture, and I wish there was more time to discuss not only the (how) global museums are but what should be role of and the function of coordinating mechanisms that can make museums and art centers global and relevant for present social developments.

One final word, the hospitality and the program of visits designed by the organizers in Tokyo was exemplary. To me CIMAM Annual Conference in Tokyo has also opened a possibilities for future collaborations with institutions, curators and artists working in Japan and I have to thank Getty Foundation, the CIMAM, and Mori Art Museum for this experience and possibility.