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May 14, 2015
ART FAIR TOKYO 2015 | Introducing Highlights of the Special Exhibition
ART FAIR TOKYO 2015 | Art Fair Tokyo 2015
Experience Diverse Art Forms in Tokyo
From the Rinpa School to Contemporary Art: A Look at the Special Exhibitions (1)
For three days from Friday, March 20th to Sunday, March 22nd,Art Fair Tokyo at Tokyo International ForumArt Fair Tokyo will be held at the Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, special exhibitions are planned that explore Japanese contemporary art through the lenses of the "Rinpa School" and the "Venice Biennale," examining both Japan's unique artistic context and the international art scene. Additionally, the Amanasalto booth will feature the first domestic presentation of a photobook by architect Tadao Ando. This second installment of our "Art Fair Tokyo 2015" special feature, which will be delivered over three parts, focuses on the highlights of Art Fair Tokyo, including the special exhibitions.
Text by ART FAIR TOKYO PR
What is the Pop Sensibility of the Rinpa School? "Rinpa is Pop / Pop is Rinpa"
Amidst the globalization of contemporary art, there has been a growing trend to re-examine Japan's unique artistic expressions and reconsider Japanese art within a broader historical context. The Rinpa School, celebrating its 400th anniversary, began with Tawaraya Sotatsu and Hon'ami Koetsu, and was further developed by artists like Ogata Korin. Its influence is said to extend not only within Japan but also to 19th-century Impressionism and contemporary design. Meanwhile, "Pop," which gained traction in the Western art scene in the 1960s, has now permeated society and is utilized in fields such as fashion.
The "Rinpa is Pop / Pop is Rinpa" exhibition area focuses on the enduring "pop sensibility" of the Rinpa School, which continues to be appreciated across eras, and introduces works by nine artists from the diverse landscape of contemporary Japanese art. This includes vibrant and graphical works created through the collaboration of Junko Koshino and Go Yayanagi, as well as pieces by Teppei Kaneko, Suehiro Maruo, Satoshi Someya, Taro Yamamoto, and Ai Yamaguchi, who interpret Rinpa from their unique perspectives using traditional Japanese materials and media such as folding screens and ink wash painting. Also featured are the ceramic works of Katsuko Nakajima, which incorporate Rinpa-esque sensibilities, and the photographic works of Mika Ninagawa, with their beautiful combinations of vibrant colors.
Ai Yamaguchi Kotodo Photo: Yasushi Ichikawa ©ai yamaguchi・ninyu works Courtesy SPIRAL / Wacoal Art Center, Mizuma Art Gallery
Taro Yamamoto "Kouhakubai-zu" Folding Screen ©Taro YAMAMOTO courtesy of imura art gallery
Additionally, works by Robert Kushner, who creates folding screen and sliding door paintings with a deep respect for Japanese culture, will be exhibited in an adjacent booth.
An Overview of Japanese Contemporary Art from an International Perspective
ART FAIR TOKYO 2015 | Art Fair Tokyo 2015
Experience Diverse Art Forms in Tokyo
From the Rinpa School to Contemporary Art: A Look at the Special Exhibitions (2)
"Japanese Contemporary Art Seen by Venice": An Exhibition Themed on the Venice Biennale
The "Venice Biennale," which began in 1988 and is now considered the world's most influential international exhibition, has also served as a platform for Japanese contemporary art to gain international recognition, with Kohei Nawa receiving a special mention in 2013. This exhibition offers an overview of Japanese contemporary art from an international perspective, showcasing works by 15 Japanese artists centered around two themes: "The Present in Diversity" and "Tracing 20th-Century Art from Mono-ha."
Yasumasa Morimura Self-Portrait / White Marilyn copyright the artist courtesy ShugoArts
The "The Present in Diversity" section will feature not only works by artists who have participated in the Venice Biennale from 1988 to the present, but also related works and archives. Notably, 1988 marked a turning point when Yasumasa Morimura and Tatsuo Miyajima exhibited their works in the "Aperto" section for young artists, helping to elevate the international profile of Japanese contemporary art, which is highly regarded today.
Here, you can experience ambitious and globally acclaimed works that focus on the diversity of contemporary Japanese society and the world, including those by Mariko Mori, Tomoko Yoneda, Tabaimo and Kohei Nawa, who are active both domestically and internationally, and Chiharu Shiota (scheduled to participate in 2015).
Kohei Nawa, recipient of the Deutsche Bank's Artist of the Year 2015 award, will present an exhibition and related works at the Deutsche Bank booth, opening a week after Art Fair Tokyo 2015 at the Deutsche Bank KunstHalle in Berlin. Nobuko Tsuchiya, who participated in 2005, will present a flyer project envisioning a fictional exhibition, in addition to her display in an adjacent booth.
The "Mono-ha" movement, currently a globally recognized Japanese art movement, is also featured. Kishio Suga, a key member, participated in the group in 1978. Artists introduced in the Japan Pavilion extend from Susumu Koshimizu, also within the "Mono-ha" context, to Naruo Tsuchiya, Toshikatsu Endo, and Saburo Murai.
What impact did "Mono-ha," which profoundly influenced the post-war Japanese art scene, and the art and movements that followed, have on the Japanese art scene over time? We will trace 20th-century Japanese contemporary art through the related works and recent pieces of these five artists.
Susumu Koshimizu "Red and Wood 5" Courtesy of the artist and Tokyo Gallery+BTAP
First Japanese Presentation! Architect Tadao Ando's Photobook
The Amanasalto booth will present "ANDO×ANDO ‒ Photographs," a photobook by architect Tadao Ando. This portfolio features 10 platinum print photographs, taken by Ando himself, of his iconic architectural works such as the "Church of the Light."
Photo courtesy of Amanasalto Inc.
As Ando himself states, "There lies the trajectory of my raw thoughts, as I have pursued the simplest and most abundant meaning in space, entrusting my hopes solely to light." The collection captures the origins and universality of ANDO's architecture. Art Fair Tokyo 2015 offers a rare opportunity to see the Japanese premiere of this work, alongside the first portfolio collection, "ANDO BOX ‒ Drawings," released last year.
Art Fair Tokyo 2015
Dates | March 20 (Fri) 11:00–21:00
March 21 (Sat) 11:00–20:00
March 22 (Sun) 10:30–17:00
Venue | Tokyo International Forum, Hall B2
3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Admission | 1-DAY Passport: ¥2,000 (at door), ¥1,500 (advance)
3-DAY Passport: ¥3,500 (at door), ¥3,000 (advance, on sale until March 19)
Art Fair Tokyo Executive Committee Secretariat
Tel. +81-3-5808-1451
