Tokyo Gendai Announces Venue Change To Ariake GYM-EX For 2027

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Tokyo Gendai launched its latest edition for VIPs on September 10 at Pacifico Yokohama, its final staging at the venue before relocating. The fair, which features 63 galleries including 30 international exhibitors, will move to the more centrally located Ariake GYM-EX in 2027. This shift aims to better align the event with Art Week Tokyo and Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK).

The move was announced earlier this week by co-founder Magnus Renfrew during a gathering at Mori Bar, where he stated that securing a new space on suitable dates had been challenging.“Venues in Tokyo are incredibly challenging to find when you're trying to organize something of this scale and ambition,” Renfrew said, noting that initial feedback on the change has been positive. He added,“Everybody feels that being in Tokyo, and being there at a time when everything is happening simultaneously, is going to be a very powerful draw and generate a lot of attention.”

Japan's art market has shown consistent growth. After a 38 percent drop in 2020, it rebounded to $756 million in 2022 and has since stabilized. Sales reached $692 million in 2024, marking a 2 percent year-over-year increase, contrasting with a 12 percent decline in global sales, according to The Japanese Art Market 2025 report. This report was compiled by art-market economist Clare McAndrew as part of the FY2025 Art Ecosystem Infrastructure Development Promotion Project, commissioned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Since Tokyo Gendai's 2023 debut, international galleries such as Pace and Ceysson & Bénétière have opened locations in Tokyo. Concurrently, a new generation of Japanese galleries has contributed to expanding the art ecosystem in the capital and beyond, increasing their presence at international fairs. Major institutions like the Mori Art Museum continue to present high-caliber programming, while other local museums are adopting a more international focus, forging collaborations across the region. For instance, the National Art Center, Tokyo (NACT) and M+ in Hong Kong jointly organized“ Prism of the Real: Making Art in Japan 1989-2010,” a comprehensive survey of recent Japanese art. The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT) also contributed to the production of the Do Ho Suh survey, currently at MMCA Seoul before moving to Tokyo and concluding its tour at M+.

In conjunction with the fair, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) is showcasing an extensive Hiroshi Sugimoto exhibition, featuring approximately 60 gelatin-silver photographs that span his early career from the late 1970s to the present. Recent years have also seen the establishment of new private museums and collections throughout Tokyo and the Japanese peninsula. Notably, the Ueshima Museum, founded by entrepreneur Kankuro Ueshima, opened just two years after he began collecting in 2022. Its collection now exceeds 850 works, including pieces by emerging Japanese artists and recent acquisitions by internationally renowned figures such as Nigel Cooke, Alicja Kwade, and Raqib Shaw, some of which were acquired directly from their New York exhibitions.

Renfrew emphasized the fair's role in connecting local creativity with global audiences during a press conference.“The galleries, artists and cultural institutions shaping the market continuously produce world-class projects and programs, and Tokyo Gendai's mission is to connect that energy with global audiences,” he stated. He added,“The creativity emerging from Japan's galleries, studios and institutions is what gives this fair its purpose, and it is a privilege to help bring the work to the air.” Renfrew also noted that these connections extend beyond the fair's duration, fostering new collaborations and cross-cultural exchange throughout the year. An example is photographer and performer Mari Katayama, whose work is displayed in the VIP lounge and who is slated for an upcoming museum presentation alongside Mariko Mori's largest survey since 2003, following her successful presentation at the previous Tokyo Gendai with YKG.

According to director Eri Takane, Tokyo Gendai benefits from Japan's political and economic stability, which contributes to collector confidence. The Japanese art market is further supported by a collecting culture developed over decades, driven by passion rather than speculation, having previously experienced the effects of a market bubble. Takane explained,“We have had around 50 years of history in the gallery business in Japan. I think the collectors are not really investors. They're buying from passion.” She characterized this as the market's strength:“I think that's the beauty of it. It's not really trendy, like a bubble; it's very stable.”

To enhance accessibility and transparency, Tokyo Gendai this year introduced an online catalog that publicly lists price ranges for each work, facilitating early sales and holds prior to opening day. This initiative aligns with a generational shift among Japanese collectors, as younger heirs assume more decision-making autonomy in family businesses. Takane anticipates that their international education and exposure will increasingly influence their collecting tastes. Younger collectors are also creating communities, curatorial platforms, and residency opportunities for artists and curators, moving beyond simply acquiring art.

Tokyo-based collector Yu Kimoto noted that while older Japanese collectors often view art as a long-term investment, he and his peers are driven more by curiosity and enjoyment than financial calculations.“If it turns out to be valuable, that's great,” Kimoto told Observer,“If not, that's totally fine.” Kimoto exemplifies a generation whose collecting is shaped by online research and relationships, encompassing art, design, street culture, and other collectibles. As part of the Tokyo Gendai VIP program, Kimoto opened his renovated Omotesando apartment, featuring Isamu Noguchi's Akari lamps alongside works by contemporary artists like Tom Sachs and KAWS.

The fair has also introduced new sections designed to attract younger and emerging collectors seeking lower price points. These include Miki (“Trunk”), focusing on works on paper such as photography, drawing, and prints; Tane (“Seed”), dedicated to digital media including NFTs, animation, film, AR, VR, and gaming; and Hana (“Flower”), highlighting emerging talent. Additionally, a new wave of younger dealers, often from other creative industries with international experience and English fluency, are entering the art market. Takane praised their approach:“They're really smart. They don't limit themselves to focusing only on the gallery.” For instance, Hisatomo Kato, founder of CON_, integrates art, music, and fashion. Following a successful debut at Frieze Seoul, Kato is presenting Yukino Yamanaka in the Hana section, whose paintings explore the fluid boundaries between self and other.

Source: Observer Arts

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