ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO

 

 

The ARTISTSʼ FAIR KYOTO kicked off in 2018 as a new style of art fair planned, managed and exhibited by artists. Artworks by internationally acclaimed artists and young emerging artists under their selection are exhibited in venues such as the Important Cultural Property modern architecture, and factory remain in midtown, creating the stimulating experience of buying art in eccentric spaces.

 

"Singularity of Art"

With "Singularity of Art" as concept in this city Kyoto that has created innovation from tradition, we aspire to create a dynamic shift in art, a singularity, where artists will focus on a global market expanding their stages to the next dimension.

 

ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2018

https://artists-fair.kyoto/2018/about/

 

ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2019

https://artists-fair.kyoto/2019/about/

 

ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2020 *cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus.

https://artists-fair.kyoto/about/

>ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO 2020 Report:

https://artists-fair.kyoto/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AFK2020report_EN.pdf

 

 

Director’s message from AFK 2018

One of the large problems Japan holds at present, is the apparent difficulty in communication between different areas of expertise and industries. This common crevasse lies in various fields across generations and industries, from the separation of humanities and sciences created by entrance examinations, to everyday topics such as musical preferences and blood type. The need for division of labour to increase productivity over our journey from the modern ages to the present, has brought us the habit of digging a deep gap in our surroundings without being aware, to be able to obtain a high level of expertise.

Regarding the art education industry, which I am involved in myself, there is also a large crevasse between education and the market. So many believe the theory that it is a rare case for one to continue art after graduating from university, and both teachers and students assume that it is impossible to make a living from art. However, in our neighboring Asian countries, the contemporary art industry has managed to develop in speed along with the rapid post-second world war modernisation, and they have succeeded in forming a naturally active market. We must admit that Japan has greatly fallen behind in this field, though we thought we were ahead of the game, modernised from an early stage in the Meiji period.

An enthusiastic commission from the Kyoto Prefecture was made, to activate the domestic market, to support graduates from the many art universities of Kyoto, and young artists. With this important mission, we have decided to start up “ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO” where artists can directly sell their artwork, unlike other existing art fairs. We would like to become a bridge and support young aspiring artists, to connect them with individual collectors, organisations, and commercial galleries with global networks, so that they can continue to create in the future for a living. We would also like to call your attention to the satellite events "ARTISTS' FAIR KYOTO: BLOWBALL" supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, which includes programs planned by Kohei Nawa.

In Edo period Kyoto, talented artists such as Jakuchu, and the locals who continued to place orders for their artwork, formed a domestic market that became one of the world’s leading cultural heritages. There is no reason for Kyoto to not be able to do something that our precursors have done already. Our young artists will appear at the venues every day to present their production stories. I hope that as many people as possible will come, to collect the artwork our emerging young artists have devoted themselves to, and overcome the small misunderstanding, unconsciously made, that art is difficult to understand.

Respectfully,

Noboru Tsubaki, Director of ARTISTS’ FAIR KYOTO