First established in 1992 as Nippon International Contemporary Art Fair (NICAF), 聽is now the biggest fair of its kind in Japan. Originally focusing on contemporary art, the fair has now branched out to showcase a variety聽of聽artistic styles and disciplines聽from a range of eras聽across its聽5,000 square metre site.聽Taking place from聽12-14 May, the fair will welcome 157 exhibitors聽from 19 countries and territories, all of which will have the聽opportunity to present a unique selection of pieces within聽Tokyo International Forum, Hall E & Lobby Gallery.聽In 2016, the fair will be comprised of five diverse sections.聽We take a look at this year’s highlights.
Following the 2015 alteration in Japanese corporate legislation, which聽states聽that artworks purchased for less than one million yen are to be聽treated as depreciable assets, Art Fair Tokyo has organised 100 KIN; a platform that introduces 30 new pieces of art covered by these rules. 聽The aim of 100 KIN is to give corporations the opportunity to purchase聽these pieces and to take advantage of the reformation. Galleries featured in this section include Nukaga Gallery, Taguchi Fine Art and Gallery Tomura.
Meanwhile, in聽Artistic Practices, Face Up!,聽exhibitors聽such as Mizuma Art Gallery and Yuka Tsuruno Gallery will present聽artistic practices that聽focus on the theme of identity and people. Established in聽2011, Face Up! encourages visitors聽to question how they perceive and experience the world around them within today’s digitally-saturated and internet-orientated聽way of life.
The Projects聽sector聽sees聽a revamp in 2016: it moves away from聽a focus on聽contemporary art galleries, to instead introduce the work of emerging artists under the theme of Don鈥檛 Think, Feel!.聽Artists including聽Nami Shibata, Chiho Yamagishi and Rachel Adams will represent the vibrant energies exuding from new practices today.聽Accompanying section聽Mercedes-Benz Art Car Collaboration聽invites artist聽Kohei Nawa to create a new car design, while a new sponsor booth by Pola Art Foundation will display a new project by聽Kentaro Yokouchi, who received a grant from Pola to study overseas as an emerging artist.
In addition, visitors are invited to聽attend the Tokyo Art Summit on 12 May. The collective name for three international conferences, Tokyo Art Summit is聽a meeting place for聽chairmen/representatives of gallery associations around the Asia-Pacific region, as well as directors of art fairs in Asia and media industry peers, to discuss the art market in Asia.
Art Fair Tokyo, 12-14 May,聽Hall E and Lobby Gallery,聽Tokyo International Forum,聽3 Chome-5-1 Marunouchi,聽Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo-to, 100-0005,聽Japan.
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Credits
1.聽Jong Yong Yang,聽Moss, 2015,聽oil on canvas. Eugene Gallery.
