Corporate Japan's high-profile purchases of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces during the bubble-economy in the late 1980s and early 1990s are generally seen as examples of senseless posturing. But imagine how those paintings — the ones that remain in this country, that is — would seem to an artist who has never set foot out of Asia. Actually, don't imagine, read:

"I'm really lucky to be able to come to Tokyo. In Tokyo, I could see Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne. I used to think I'd have to go to Europe (to see those artists' works). Now I have seen them here, I can go anywhere."

Those are the words of Souliya Phoumivong, a 26-year-old from Laos who was visiting Japan in April and May on an artist-in-residence program. His trip to Tokyo was the first time he had set foot out of Indo-China, and yet after a single visit to the Sompo Japan Museum of Art in Shinjuku, he feels like he's seen the world.