LACMA management has been evasive on the issue of when the Japanese Pavilion will reopen.
REPORTER: Director Williams, museum visitors have one question above all others. When will the Japanese Pavilion reopen?
DIRECTOR: We're extremely excited about the Pavilion. It represents a vital component of our long-term vision for visitor engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.
REPORTER: Yes, but when will it reopen?
DIRECTOR: The public response to our new galleries has been extraordinary.
REPORTER: The Pavilion.
DIRECTOR: Exactly.
REPORTER: No, not exactly. The Japanese Pavilion. When does it open?
DIRECTOR: We continue to make excellent progress.
REPORTER: Toward what date?
DIRECTOR: Toward a future in which visitors will enjoy an enhanced experience.
REPORTER: Is that future next month?
DIRECTOR: We don't think in terms of months.
REPORTER: What terms do you think in?
DIRECTOR: Experiences.
REPORTER: Is the experience scheduled?
DIRECTOR: We are actively evaluating scheduling opportunities.
REPORTER: So there is no date.
DIRECTOR: There are many dates.
REPORTER: Name one.
DIRECTOR: Today, for example.
REPORTER: A reopening date.
DIRECTOR: We prefer not to limit ourselves with labels.
REPORTER: Is the building finished?
DIRECTOR: The Pavilion occupies a unique place within our campus ecosystem.
REPORTER: Is that a yes?
DIRECTOR: The building exists.
REPORTER: Was it finished last year?
DIRECTOR: Completion is a multifaceted concept.
REPORTER: Are visitors allowed inside?
DIRECTOR: Not currently.
REPORTER: Why not?
DIRECTOR: We are preparing for a world-class visitor experience.
REPORTER: By keeping visitors out?
DIRECTOR: Quality requires patience.
REPORTER: How much patience?
DIRECTOR: The Japanese have long valued patience.
REPORTER: The museum has been valuing it for several years.
DIRECTOR: We see that as evidence of our commitment.
REPORTER: Can you give me any estimate? Summer? Fall? This decade?
DIRECTOR: We are very pleased with the trajectory.
REPORTER: Toward what?
DIRECTOR: Reopening.
REPORTER: When?
DIRECTOR: At the appropriate moment.
REPORTER: Which is?
DIRECTOR: Appropriate.
REPORTER: Let me try another way. Suppose I return one year from today. Will the Pavilion be open?
DIRECTOR: We look forward to welcoming all visitors to LACMA.
REPORTER: That's not an answer.
DIRECTOR: It's an invitation.
REPORTER: Suppose I return ten years from today.
DIRECTOR: We remain committed to excellence.
REPORTER: Twenty years?
DIRECTOR: Our commitment is long-term.
REPORTER: Are you personally aware of a reopening date?
DIRECTOR: I am aware of many things.
REPORTER: Is a reopening date among them?
DIRECTOR: Museums are ultimately about discovery.
REPORTER: I feel as though I'm discovering very little.
DIRECTOR: Then perhaps you are experiencing the Pavilion exactly as intended.
REPORTER: Meaning?
DIRECTOR: It remains, at present, a meditation on absence.
REPORTER: So the exhibit is already open?
DIRECTOR: Conceptually, yes.
REPORTER: Thank you.
DIRECTOR: We appreciate your interest in the Pavilion.
