Art Market
Eric Augustine Pam
Interior view of Tokyo Hyundai, 2023. Courtesy of Tokyo Hyundai.
With the VIP preview ending today, expectations are high for the second edition of Art Tokyo Contemporary, which runs until July 7 at Pacifico Yokohama, and aims to build on the momentum of last year’s inaugural edition, which took five years to get off the ground. This year’s fair will feature 70 galleries (up from 73 last year) from 20 countries, including the United States, South Korea, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as Japan, and will also feature an expanded public program of lectures, satellite events and youth symposiums.
Hailed as Japan’s first truly international contemporary art fair, Art Tokyo was co-founded by Magnus Renfrew, the founding director of Art Basel Hong Kong and its predecessor, Art Hong Kong, and is part of the art organization The Art Assembly, which also organizes other fairs such as ART SG in Singapore and Taipei Dangdai in Taiwan. Art Tokyo not only showcases a comprehensive dialogue between Japan and the rest of Asia and beyond, but also aims to restore Tokyo’s position as a leading global art center, while naturally reinvigorating and connecting Tokyo’s local gallery scene.
Both effects are evident in Pace Gallery’s three-story, 5,500-square-foot Tokyo outpost, which opened in September. In a sense, the mega-gallery is soft-opening for the Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair. “Tokyo is obviously one of the cultural capitals of the world, and in the ’80s and ’90s it was the epicenter of art market activity,” gallery president Samanthe Rubell tells Artsy. “Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair is emblematic of the resurgence of the contemporary art world in Japan. The fact that Tokyo is hosting an art fair on an international scale shows that now that Tokyo has established a vibrant art ecosystem, Tokyo is ready to once again become a major art destination for artists and collectors. You can feel the energy when you come here, and visitors from all over the world are once again vying for the best hotels and the best reservations, from Roppongi to the hillsides of Hokkaido.”
Installation view, “Group Show”, Pace Gallery Tokyo, 2024. Photo by Nacasa & Partners. Courtesy of Pace Gallery.
This year’s Tokyo Contemporary Art Festival
This year’s Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair is divided into three themed sections. The Gallery Section presents a series of compelling exhibitions, with exhibitors ranging from top Japanese galleries such as Kaikai Kiki Gallery to international galleries such as Almine Rech. In addition, Pace Gallery presents the work of Robert Longo, an American artist, photographer and filmmaker known for his deep and textured charcoal drawings. This section aims to present a broad and dynamic perspective on contemporary art, with works on display that provoke thought, evoke emotion and capture attention.
In the Flower Fair area, Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair focuses on 24 galleries that will host solo or two-person exhibitions by emerging and mid-career artists. Highlights include London gallery Alison Jacques’s exhibition of British artist Sophie Barber, whose work touches on symbols integral to Japanese culture. And at ANOMALY in Tokyo, works by Yusuke Asai and Keisuke Tanaka explore the complex relationship between life and nature.
Elsewhere, Eda, which specializes in solo and group exhibitions by important artists from the Asian art world, featured nine galleries, most notably PYO Gallery from Seoul, which exhibited the famous drip paintings of the late artist Kim Tschang-Yeul, and VETA by Fer Francés from Madrid, which exhibited the work of Filipino artist Manuel Ocampo.
Exterior view of SCAI the Bathouse in 2024. Photo by Norihiro Ueno. Courtesy of SCAI the Bathhouse.
Tokyo’s international art event
Tokyo Contemporary focuses on fostering a collaborative atmosphere and has made a significant contribution to uniting the Tokyo gallery community and strengthening pan-Asian connectivity.
“The Art Assembly’s art fairs, held in relatively geographically close cities in Asia, go beyond the framework of independent fairs and promote exchanges between collectors, curators, critics and galleries in these cities. Tokyo Gendai has become such a platform,” said Fumiko Nagayoshi, director of Tokyo tastemaker SCAI The Bathhouse, which participated in this year’s fair.
Sueo Mizuma, executive director of Mizuma Art Gallery, a fellow Tokyo exhibitor, also highlighted the role the fair plays in expanding the reach of Japanese art among Asian collectors, who are not usually seen at Japanese art fairs. The fair, he said, “attracts collectors from Indonesia and other Asian countries to come to Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair and buy works by Japanese artists.” This has the potential to not only boost sales but also raise awareness for local artists and galleries.
Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair also has the advantage of being located in a city with huge international appeal and a thriving art scene. “The fair is also a great opportunity for foreign gallerists and collectors to visit Japan and experience its historic architecture, unique cuisine and diverse cultural customs firsthand,” said Masahiko Maki of MAKI Gallery. In fact, international tourists are currently flocking to Japan as the yen continues to depreciate. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, visitor numbers grew 9.6% in May.
Interior view of Tokyo Hyundai, 2023. Courtesy of Tokyo Hyundai.
Positive outlook
This year, Tokyo Modern hopes to continue Renfrew’s stated goal of creating a “fair of global importance.” Last year’s fair was a promising first step. “We’ve never seen such a large space in Japan for an art fair dedicated to contemporary art to see works,” said Junko Shimada of Gallery Side 2 in Tokyo, who also attended the fair. “For local audiences, the interaction with international galleries is exciting. Tokyo Modern has put a lot of effort into inviting international collectors, curators, and galleries. It provides a forum in Tokyo that was not possible before.”
Shimada added that as the fair continues to grow, it is already playing an important role in shaping Tokyo’s status as a global art hub, describing the fair as “a local fair but open to global markets and audiences”.
Tokyo Modern’s impact extends beyond its immediate geographic scope, fostering deep, engaging conversations about the future of contemporary art in Japan. Mizuma notes that Tokyo Modern is unique compared to other Japanese art fairs: “Tokyo Modern has so many well-known European and American galleries… With so many Japanese galleries participating, it’s the first truly international fair in Japan.”
Pace Gallery’s Samanthe Rubell noted that the exhibition comes at a time when Japanese art is coming to the fore internationally. “As contemporary and modern Japanese art becomes increasingly visible on the international stage—we look forward to our inaugural Jiro Takamatsu exhibition at the gallery in New York this fall—our international artists are excited to exhibit here and connect with Japan’s rich and thoughtful culture, collectors, and curators,” she said.
With a carefully curated selection of domestic and international galleries, a rich events and education program, and a strong commitment to fostering intercontinental relationships, Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair promises to become a major force in the global art world. As the fair unfolds, many will be watching to see if the enthusiasm is real.
