Tokyo Gendai, the first international art fair held in Tokyo Bay in over 30 years, happened on July 7-9, 2023, and it was a fulfilling experience for the creative mind. Featuring artworks of all media, from renowned and upcoming artists around the world, the art fair was a must visit for artists and art enthusiasts.
The fair brought together 73 leading galleries from Japan, Asia Pacific, Europe and the US, into the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall.
Example of featured galleries: Johyun Gallery (Busan), Each Modern (Taipei), Sies+Höke (Düsseldorf), Maho Kubota Gallery (Tokyo), Polígrafa Obra Gráfica (Barcelona) and Jack Shainman Gallery (New York).
The physical layout of the exhibition was indeed thoughtfully curated because it kept you going through the displays. At the end of each aisle, there were pop-up booths of a cafe, Italian and Japanese restaurants and even a champagne bar. After a quick rest, visitors can continue viewing the galleries.
From oil on canvas to 3D pieces, the exhibition hall was brimming with masterpieces of all shapes, sizes, colors, and materials.
“Through a thoughtful selection of artwork, programs, and events, Tokyo Gendai emerges as a nexus of cross-cultural discovery- a major new platform for commercial, artistic, and intellectual exchange,” writes Tokyo Gendai on its website and this couldn’t be truer. There was a theme or design for everyone, making it difficult to leave the area without an art piece “speaking to you.”
Another interesting view on the different galleries coming together is how visitors could clearly see the cultures of each country from the art displayed. For example, the subdued oriental style from the Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong galleries to the strikingly bold oil on canvases from the Manila gallery with a focus on farmers and agriculture.
Art comes from everywhere and everything and this was proven by artists making humongous pieces from Lego or rubik’s cubes.
You even have the more contemporary forms of art such as non-fungible tokens (NFT) portrayed by televisions in cages and other styles of digital media art from animation, film, gaming, AR and VR.
On top of viewing the art, visitors could sit in on art talks from artists and leading professionals as they engage in art dialogue. There were eight sessions in total and visitors were clearly informed of an upcoming dialogue through the intercom announcements. “Through exposure to multiple perspectives, participants will deepen their understanding of global art and explore the shape and important themes of contemporary society,” wrote Tokyo Gendai.
Those interested in learning more about a particular piece or even purchasing them could easily talk to the gallery representatives on standby at each section. Each piece also had captions nearby with QR codes for more information.
Although we only went to one of the three days the fair was held, visitors were kept updated with the ongoings on social media. Many commented that the experience was amazing and hoped for many more to come.
For those wondering, a one-day general ticket for one to the fair was ¥4,000 while students paid ¥2,500. Children under 12 could enter for free as long as they had an accompanying adult.
More photos taken from the fair:
