Press Release

February 5, 2026
DIC Corporation
The International House of Japan, Inc.

DIC and the International House of Japan Launch
Full-Scale Collaboration in Art and Architecture, Entering Deepening Phase

DIC Corporation (DIC; Takashi Ikeda, President and CEO) and the International House of Japan, Inc. (IHJ; James Kondo, Chairman), announced today that they have officially launched a collaborative project centered on the fields of art and architecture. Through this project, DIC announced its future direction for art-related initiatives and the establishment of a partnership with the Rothko Chapel, marking the steady expansion of this project. At the same time, architectural firm SANAA unveiled its design concept for the “Rothko Room,” while the International House of Japan announced its own partnership with the Rothko Chapel.

This project aims to create new artistic and cultural experiences and demonstrate to the international community a new form of collaboration where art generates impact for both business and public benefit.

― A Clear Commitment to Art Centered on Postwar American Art ―

DIC views it as a long-term corporate responsibility to open its collection of 20th-century artworks—centered on outstanding postwar American art, including works by Mark Rothko—to society and pass them on to future generations.

Through its collection of 20th-century artworks centered on post-war American art—including Jackson Pollock, Frank Stella, and Cy Twombly, in addition to Rothko’s Seagram Murals—and the European and Japanese artworks that are deeply connected to them, DIC will commit to art from perspectives including research, preservation, public access, and international collaboration.

To open DIC’s collection to society as cultural assets and pass them on to future generations, we will continue to expand opportunities for viewing our holdings, including the Rothko works, both domestically and internationally during the relocation period until 2030. We will advance activities to deliver these cultural assets to a wider audience.

―Balancing Social Contribution and Enhancing Corporate Value Through “Chemistry × Art”―

DIC will fully advance support for art restoration, leveraging its expertise as a chemical manufacturer, centered on “Chemistry × Art.” We will launch the “IACC (Institute of Art Conservation Chemistry)” as an organization to sustain these restoration support activities. Through these initiatives, DIC will challenge itself to protect cultural assets and create new values, aiming to achieve both social contribution and enhanced corporate value.

―A Symbol of Collaboration Rooted in Art and Architecture―

The architectural firm SANAA (see Attachment 1), responsible for designing the permanent exhibition The “Rothko Room” in the International House of Japan’s New West Wing, visited The Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art, the Rothko Chapel in the United States, and Tate Modern in the United Kingdom to deepen their understanding of the relationship between the artwork and its surrounding space.

The new “Rothko Room” symbolizes collaboration rooted in art and architecture. It highlights the unique environment where the International House of Japan’s unparalleled Japanese modernist architecture harmonizes with its modern Japanese garden.

Design Concept

―Approach from the Garden―

Access to the “Rothko Room” will be through a newly created entrance hall surrounded by a lush garden, followed by the underground “Meditation Space”, designed to invite a sense of natural light. This design seeks to harmonize two key elements: the immersive, nature-oriented spatial experience at the heart of the International House of Japan’s new West Wing, and the singular, self-contained spatial experience of the “Rothko Room”— and bringing them together into one continuous and cohesive flow.

―An Independent Space Within the Exhibition Hall―

The “Rothko Room” will be located within the underground gallery space. While maintaining continuity with the surrounding exhibitions, it is designed as an independent and self-contained environment. The aim is for the “Rothko Room” itself to possess a clear and distinctive presence, offering visitors a powerful and symbolic spatial experience.

The architectural firm SANAA commented as follows:

― A Partnership collaborating with Companies, Foundations, and International Hubs ―

DIC and IHJ have each entered into a partnership with the Rothko Chapel, located in Houston, Texas, USA (see Attachment 2).
DIC and IHJ have agreed to relocate all seven of the paintings from the Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals series—formerly housed at The Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art—to IHJ’s upcoming West Wing, where the two institutions will jointly operate a new dedicated space, the “Rothko Room.”
Through this joint initiative, DIC and IHJ will collaborate with the Rothko Chapel—widely recognized as a central and symbolic institution dedicated to the legacy of Mark Rothko—to establish a new international cultural network and further advance global cultural exchange and outreach.
Founded in 1971 in Houston, Texas, USA, the Rothko Chapel is a non-denominational chapel that permanently houses fourteen seminal mural paintings created by Mark Rothko with support from French-born philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil. Internationally acclaimed, the Rothko Chapel serves as a unique space that transcends religious, cultural, and national boundaries, fostering introspection, dialogue, and reconciliation through art. It also functions as a globally significant hub for initiatives focused on social transformation, human rights, and peace, demonstrating the enduring power of art to engage with critical issues facing contemporary society.

・Details of the Partnership with DIC

The damage suffered by Rothko Chapel during the July 2024 hurricane served as a stark reminder of the heightened risks of climate change and its impact on cultural assets. Against this backdrop, DIC and Rothko Chapel have agreed to establish a strategic partnership to support the restoration of the damaged artworks at Rothko Chapel, thereby safeguarding these vital cultural assets. Moving forward, DIC will provide support leveraging its unique expertise and technology as a chemical manufacturer, including supplying materials required by restorers.

・Details of the Partnership with the International House of Japan

The International House of Japan will partner with the Rothko Chapel to advance private-sector diplomacy aimed at the promotion of peace. Through this partnership, the two organizations will establish a joint advisory body to guide the development and implementation of related programs, while further strengthening engagement with partners and other like-minded institutions worldwide.

Upon signing this agreement, the signatory commented as follows:

To commemorate the official launch of the project, the representatives leading this collaborative initiative in the visual arts and architectural fields provided the following comments:

For further details, please visit the website below.
http://dic-ihj.org/

About DIC Corporation
DIC Corporation is one of the world’s leading fine chemicals companies and the core of the DIC Group, a multinational organization comprising over 170 companies, including Sun Chemical Corporation, in more than 60 countries and territories. The DIC Group is recognized as a global leader in the markets for a variety of products essential to modern lifestyles, notably packaging materials, display materials such as those used in television and computer displays, and high-performance materials for smartphones and other digital devices, as well as for automobiles. Through such products, the Group endeavors to deliver safety and peace of mind, and color and comfort, to people everywhere.
The DIC Group also seeks to contribute to a sustainable society by developing innovative products that respond to social change and which help address social imperatives. With annual consolidated net sales exceeding ¥1 trillion and 21,000-plus employees worldwide, the Group pledges to continue working in close cooperation with its customers wherever they are.
For more information, please visit the DIC global website:
https://www.dic-global.com/

About the International House of Japan
The International House of Japan has been a pioneer in private diplomacy and international cultural exchange in Japan. Since its establishment in 1952, it has consistently contributed to the peace and prosperity of Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Its mission is to “contribute to building a free, open, and sustainable future through intellectual dialogue, policy research, and cultural exchange with a diverse world,” and its vision is to “become a hub for intellectual exchange in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The main building of the International House of Japan, a registered tangible cultural property, is a notable example of modernist architecture, while its garden, designed by Ogawa Jihei VII, is considered a masterpiece. The forthcoming West Wing, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA, will expand public-interest programs in the Think Tank and Art & Design departments.