Moments of Enrichment at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
With the arrival of Risshū, the first day of autumn according to the traditional Japanese calendar, the season has begun—at least on paper.
The heat of the mornings and evenings has eased slightly, yet the midday sun still feels unrelenting.
Looking back about two months, my journey through Europe began in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The inspiration came from a simple curiosity: I wanted to see how people in the Nordic countries—consistently ranked among the happiest in the world—live their daily lives.
A small twist of fate came early in the trip. My Finnair flight was canceled due to a strike, and I ended up flying with LOT Polish Airlines instead, transiting through Warsaw before finally touching down in Copenhagen.
One of my main goals was to visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, located in the suburbs of Copenhagen.
About an hour away by train from the city center, the museum sits on a hill overlooking the sea, with faint glimpses of Sweden across the water.
In mid-June, the sun in Denmark doesn’t set until around 10 p.m., and on weekdays the Louisiana Museum stays open until just as late.
While much of the collection features abstract modern art, there were also works with strong social messages—pieces addressing the Syrian refugee crisis and wars in the Middle East. Through these, I could feel the intellectual commitment of the artists and curators to raising awareness through art.
From my Tokyo perspective, the Louisiana and many European museums feel two or even three times larger than those in Japan—both physically and in spirit.
The grounds are expansive enough to enjoy for half a day or more. Some people quietly took in the exhibitions, others sat on benches gazing at the scenery, and a few lay in the grass, simply letting time pass. It was a space alive with diversity and richness.
I felt so fulfilled that I ended up visiting twice during my stay in Copenhagen. It has now become one of my favorite museums in the world.
On my first visit, I arrived so eagerly that I got there an hour before opening. I spent that time at a café near the station, enjoying breakfast as the locals chatted animatedly around me. Watching their humor, their gestures, and their easy exchanges, I felt a warm reminder that no matter how different our cultures may be, we share the same human emotions.
Chinatsu Sakamoto
