From ancient times to the present day, there have been numerous works of art created on the theme of “LIFE.” The reason this theme has continued to interest artists of all ages and countries and has thus inspired them to unravel its essence through their works, is none other than the fact that it indeed persists as the most familiar and compelling issue to us human beings. This marks the first installment in a series of exhibitions held to commemorate the opening of the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design (TAD), and considers “LIFE” that is the fundamental theme of art, in terms of a “journey in search for a ‘wonderful world = paradise.’” Comprising of eight sections entitled “innocence,” “love,” “daily life,” “emotions & ideas,” “dreams,” “death,” “primitive,” and “nature,” approximately 170 works centering on those selected from museum collections both within Japan and overseas are introduced. From the works of impressionists such as Renoir, to Klimt and Schiele of the Wiener Moderne , masters of 20th century modern art like Picasso and Chagall, Japanese modernist painters including Shigeru Aoki and Kanzan Shimomura, as well as contemporary artists such as Tatsumi Orimoto and Atsuhiko Misawa, the exhibition serves to contemplate the profound relationship between life and beauty, and provides visitors with a new experience of encountering art in this unique setting of the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design.