Press
ACK Rescheduled on November, 2021 + Fair Overview and New List of Exhibitors
June 29, 2021
Press Release
Contents:
p.1…About ACK
p.2…Participating galleries
p.3…Fair overview, tickets, COVID measures
p.5…Statements by Governor of Kyoto prefecture and ACK Program Director
Appendix:
p.7…Venue design and satellite programs
Art Collaboration Kyoto
International Contemporary Art Fair Spearheaded by Kyoto Prefecture Kyoto connecting to the world art market
Kyoto Prefecture (Governor Takatoshi Nishiwaki) and the ACK Executive Committee are pleased to be able to host the Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) in November 2021. This art fair is situated in Kyoto, site of the planned relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The largest art fair in Japan dedicated to contemporary art, ACK will energize Kyoto’s art scene and connect it with the global art market. The December 2020 easing of Japan’s bonded customs tax regulations also lends to ACK’s world-wide art industry connection.
Focusing on ‘collaboration’ between Japanese and overseas galleries, the public and private sectors, and between art and other fields, ACK expects to outpace traditional art fairs that have concentrated exclusively on the buying and selling of artworks. The ACK initiative creates an environment in Kyoto(*) for an increasing number of contemporary artists and art industry professionals to flourish. It also promotes Kyoto as an active global center for contemporary art production, presentation, and commerce. Determined to have this project continue, Kyoto Prefecture intends to be a beacon of both local and new cultural traditions.
ACK emphasizes four types of collaboration. One is collaboration between Japanese and overseas galleries. Japanese galleries can offer to share booth space with overseas galleries they are in contact with. In this way, current global trends can be highlighted while at the same time giving Japanese artists international exposure. Another is between the public and private sectors. Government engagement is instrumental in reducing generally escalating fees attached to art fairs, while private sector participation assures expertise in bringing attention and appreciation to exhibited artists. The third type of collaboration developed by ACK is reflected in ACK’s ‘joint director’ system that is integral to the realization of a high-quality art fair. Gallerists, art producers, and administrative staff collaborate in ACK’s planning and marketing. Finally, taking advantage of the gathering of contemporary art professionals, new collaborations in other fields, such as digital technology or industrial applications, can be expected.
ACK was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will now be held with measures fully in place to avoid infection. Should travel restrictions prevent members of overseas galleries from coming to Japan, the galleries will still be able to have a presence and exhibit at ACK through Japanese host galleries. A digital platform will also enable online access to ACK. The many possibilities for collaboration will expand with future continued ACK iterations.
* In 2019, Kyoto prefecture introduced a policy of ‘culture creation’ under the plan for relocation the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Kyoto Prefecture art colleges and universities produce thousands of graduates each year and increasing numbers of art-related people have also recently been relocating to Kyoto.
Participating galleries
ACK is composed of two sections: ‘Gallery Collaborations’ and ‘Kyoto Meetings.’
Gallery Collaborations: A section of exhibited booths hosted by Japanese galleries in collaboration with guest galleries from overseas. 45 galleries(*) will present contemporary art both domestically and internationally.
*22 Japanese galleries alongside 23 international based galleries (8 from Europe, 7 from Asia, and 8 from North and South America)
Hosts (22 galleries from Japan) Guests (23 galleries from overseas)
Gallery CollaborationsANOMALY (Tokyo) ― Blum & Poe (Los Angeles)
ARTCOURT Gallery (Osaka) ― ULTERIOR (New York)
THE CLUB (Tokyo) ― KAVI GUPTA (Chicago)
FINCH ARTS (Kyoto) ― Space Four One Three (Seoul)
imura art gallery (Kyoto) ― MIZUMA GALLERY (Singapore)
KAYOKOYUKI (Tokyo) ― King’s Leap (New York)
MISAKO & ROSEN (Tokyo) ― Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel (São Paulo)
MORI YU GALLERY (Kyoto) ― RICHARD TAITTINGER GALLERY (New York)
NANZUKA (Tokyo) ― Petzel (New York)
Gallery OUT of PLACE (Nara) ― Galerie CAMERA OBSCURA (Paris)
Satoko Oe Contemporary (Tokyo) ― Gallery EXIT (Hong Kong)
STANDING PINE (Nagoya) ― Primo Marella Gallery(Milan)
TAIGADO (Kyoto) ― Caves Art Center (Taipei)
Taka Ishii Gallery (Tokyo) ― Galerie Gisela Capitain (Cologne)
Takuro Someya Contemporary Art (Tokyo) ― UPSTREAM GALLERY (Amsterdam)
TARO NASU (Tokyo) ― Esther Schipper (Berlin)
TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY (Osaka) ― Der-Horng Art Gallery (Tainan)
Tokyo Gallery+BTAP (Tokyo) ― Gene Gallery (Shanghai)
Tomio Koyama Gallery (Tokyo) ― Fergus McCaffrey (New York)
GALLERY TOMO (Kyoto) ― Marsiglione Arts Gallery (Como)
Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery (Osaka) ― AKI Gallery (Taipei)/Galerie EIGEN+ART (Berlin)
Yuka Tsuruno Gallery (Tokyo) ― alexander levy (Berlin)
Kyoto Meetings: A section composed of 9 Japanese galleries exhibiting contemporary artists closely connected to Kyoto.
COHJU contemporary art (Kyoto)
KEN NAKAHASHI (Tokyo)
KOKI ARTS (Tokyo)
KOSAKU KANECHIKA (Tokyo)
Gallery Nomart (Osaka)
Gallery RIN (Tokyo)
SNOW Contemporary (Tokyo)
WAITINGROOM (Tokyo)
Gallery Yamaki Fine Art (Hyogo)
*Information as of June, 2021. The participating galleries are subject to change.
Fair overview
Title
Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)
Period
Public days: Friday, November 5 – Sunday, November 7, 2021
Preview: Thursday, November 4 (by invitation only)
Main venue
Kyoto International Conference Center Event Hall
(Add: Takaragaike Sakyo-ku Kyoto City)
In addition, satellite programs will be held around Kyoto City
URL
https://2021.a-c-k.jp
Participating galleries
54 galleries, 32 booths（See page 2 for details）
Organizer
ACK Executive Committee
(Add. 2F Mizushima Bldg. 231 Hashibenkei-cho Nakagyo-ku Kyoto City / Tel: +81(0)75-708-8591)
Committee members:
Chairperson
Kenji Tsukuda
Director General of Department of Culture and Sports, Kyoto Prefecture
Vice-chairperson
Masami Shiraishi President of SCAI the Bathhouse /
Adviser of Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon
Vice-chairperson
Takashi Yamaguchi
Director of Gallery Yamaguchi /
Director of Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Art in Japan
Member
Tomoharu Inoue
Board Chairman of Culture Vision Japan Foundation Inc.
Member
Seiji Nishioka
General Manager of Business Promotion Division, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Auditor
Shuhei Akaboshi
Managing Director of Department of Conventions and Tourism, Kyoto Convention and Visitors Bureau
ACK Co-Directors
Yoshiaki Inoue
Director of Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery
Takahiro Kaneshima
Program Director of Art Collaboration Kyoto
Tomio Koyama
Director of Tomio Koyama Gallery
Keiichi Tanaka
Deputy Director General, Department of Culture and Sports, Kyoto Prefecture
Atsushi Fukai
Culture Vision Japan Foundation Inc.
Yuichi Mori
Director of Mori Yu Gallery
Yuko Yamamoto
Director of Anomaly
ACK Advisors
Yuzo Imura
Director of Imura Art Gallery
Seiichi Yoshino
Art Collector and Founder of Guide
Support
The Cabinet Office, Government of Japan in the fiscal 2021
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan in the fiscal 2021
In cooperation with (tentative)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan Tourism Agency, JETRO Kyoto, Kyoto City, The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Japan Association of New Economy, Kyoto Association of Corporate Executives, The Kyoto Shimbun, U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, Consulate-General of Italy in Osaka, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Korean Cultural Center Korean Embassy in Japan, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Osaka-Kobe, Embassy of Brazil, Ambassade de France / Institut français du Japon
Ticket
Following the COVID-19 restrictions, entry to the fair is by timed ticket only and capacity is limited. Please note that all visitors will be required to purchase tickets in advance. Further information will be announced after summer.
Measures Against COVID-19
ACK Executive Committee follows all government and industry COVID-19 guidelines to ensure the highest standards of health and safety for all our visitors and staff. Please note that fair format and exhibitors, exhibition content, and other details are subject to change.
Statements
New Value Creation:
Kyoto Culture and Private Sector Synergy
Governor of Kyoto Prefecture
Kyoto’s culture and arts, linked since ancient times to people’s daily lives and industry, provided the foundation for a developing social economy. Kyoto Prefecture has been actively exploring ways to support artists through regional artist-in-residence programs, events featuring young artists, and exhibitions to introduce and promote the works of selected emerging artists.
The Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) Executive Committee was installed last year with the cooperation of gallery related professionals and others who recognize the role of galleries in globally introducing and marketing excellent artworks by Japanese and Kyoto related artists.
We aim to establish a new type of art fair in Kyoto that would be able to overcome the difficulties of COVID-19 and allow artists, gallerists, collectors, curators, critics, researchers and other art professionals to explore a future framework for contemporary art. At the same time, this project is intended to support the development of culture and art in Kyoto and Japan to contribute to a revitalized economy with an expanded art market and links to tourism.
Kyoto:
Contemporary Art and Collaboration
ACK Program Director
Having experience in the burgeoning East Asia art market as director of Art Fair Tokyo and involved with Art Beijing, I sensed serious limitations in the art fair system. I felt the need for a new type of organization to support the independent activities of artists. It is with this background that I became program director for Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK). Whether overseas or at home, Japanese galleries tend to have difficulties participating in art fairs focused mainly on selling artworks, because of geographic location and market size. From the global perspective, there is reluctance to spend large amounts to exhibit at art fairs and there is a desire for an alternative system.
With “Collaboration” as its theme, ACK is intent on exploring a new system in Kyoto, a location rich in cultural resources such as museums and art universities. The members of the ACK Executive Committee, professionals belonging to Kyoto Prefecture offices and also from private organizations related to art, economy, and tourism are joining forces to advance the plan. Moreover, the development of Kyoto as a contemporary art market extends beyond collaboration in the public and private spheres to collaboration between Japan and overseas nations, and between the art industry and other fields. We seek to collaborate and support each other in this time of COVID-19 to overcome its tragic worldwide devastation.
Press Contact
Yoshiko Nawa ACK Executive Committee Overseas Media Relations
Tel +81(0)90-8565-9161
Mail press@2021.a-c-k.jp
For latest updates, visit ACK official website: https://2021.a-c-k.jp/en/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artcollaborationkyoto/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtCollaborationKyoto/
twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtCollaborati2
*Next press release is scheduled on October
*Information as of June, 2021
Appendix:
Venue design
In the exhibition hall, exhibition booths of various sizes will be arranged in a seemingly random manner. However, each booth is intentionally distanced from the other booths and is designed so that exhibits will not interfere with each other. In contrast to the traditional art fair where one has to attempt to see as much as possible within a limited timeframe, this design takes root from the idea that the exhibition space should “allow for the works to be exhibited in their true, desired form and manner” and “be a space of encounter where visitors can see and discover works on their own accord.”There will also be a wide variety in the use of non-booth spaces, such as plaza-like spaces and back alleys in areas between the booths. In such spaces, guests can get coffee, participate in events, and see other exhibits, and spend time that isdifferent from what they can experience in the exhibition booths. We hope that not only the exhibition booths—where the collaboration between Japanese and overseas galleries transpire— but that the entire venue will provide a space enriched by the collaboration of all participants and exhibited works, and that it will be a place where everyone will enjoy art.
Spatial design by Takashi Suo, SUO
Satellite programs
During the fair, various events and programs ranging from contemporary art to traditional crafts by both established and emerging artists will be held around Kyoto City.