Mission Statement
TOKYO FRONTLINE is a new annual international fair for contemporary art based on a new concept. The fair will takes place at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, February 17th - 20th, 2011.
We are proud to announce the launch of the new art fair "TOKYO FRONTLINE". Hosted by Shigeo Goto as the organizer and artbeat publishers as the operation team, this new fair will take place in 1F+2F in 3331 Arts Chiyoda from February 17th - 20th, 2011.
The fair will coincide with the "Spring of Art in Tokyo," with all the other art events happening in the same month, including "G-tokyo", "Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions," "Roppongi Art Night" and "ART FAIR TOKYO." Taking advantage of these exciting eventful days, we aim to open up the new market and to develop the international cooperation in art businesses, generating contemporary art scene through the demonstration of new art fair model.
The concept of TOKYO FRONTLINE is, literally, "Frontline". Our mission is to develop the network of international / national art collectors by presenting young talented and prospective artists in the international art market. To realize this mission, the cooperation between the cutting-edge galleries in Tokyo is essential.
Moreover, we would like to suggest the joy of owning creative art pieces to the audiences who still have the feeling: "art is difficult". The fair will connect art with many other creative channels such as music, photography, design and publications while holding its core at the concept of "contemporary art fair".
In five years, we hope this fair to become one of the main international platforms for contemporary art in Asia. This is a starting point. Please feel free to consult our team freely.
TOKYO FRONTLINE Organizer and Director
SHIGEO GOTO
Concept
１: Calling for ‘FRONTLINE’ to Tokyo
Art fair is considered as one of the most influential platform for contemporary art. Our initial mission is to introduce the contemporary artists and their work to Japanese and international collectors. We also believe that the contemporary art cannot exist without its context: our mission is to be the bridge between the market and critics. The fair is organizes with its clear concept, to create innovative and sustainable platform for contemporary art in Asia.
２: Meeting and crossing point of international “frontline” Tokyo
TOKYO FRONTLINE is different from any other art fair today. Bringing in artists, collectors, galleries and business enterprises together to create the system for networking and content development for contemporary art. The fair functions as the cultural apparatus for the galleries and artists to generate the ‘new value’ through their dialogue.
３: ‘3331 Arts Chiyoda’
3331 Arts Chiyoda is a new art centre opened in Spring 2010. The centre brings the business and pursuits for alternative value together, challenging the art institution status quo. TOKYO FRONTLINE organizers office (g³/ ・artbeat publishers) is based in 3331 Arts Chiyoda. With the kind cooperation of 3331 Arts Chiyoda, we will continuously develop the ‘Art fair as the muti-platform for contemporary art’.
Message
Daisuke Miyatsu ― Collector
We have witnessed increasing number of large international exhibitions such as biannual and art fairs in recent years.
However, it is difficult to talk about them with their individualities. I would like to celebrate the launch of TOKYO FRONTLINE for its unprecedented idea. I anticipate the fair to indicate the real new vision.
Be the place where we can meet the new artists, their artworks, galleries and unexperienced ‘Something Special’.
Masashi Shiobara ― Art Office Shiobara
Art fair is a trade show or a space for exhibit and dealing of the works of art, where commercial art gallery gather in one venue. Art fair in general is considered as an opportunity for the visitors to see and buy the artworks, as well as a market for the professional art dealers to exchange information and trade their art works.
These days, I receive the invitation of at least 25 fairs held all across the world. Every fair has their uniqueness (guest countries, guest cities, participating galleries, characteristics of the region, educational program, service to the collectors, etc.), and other elements such as the quality of artworks, the scale of the fair, and resulting total volume of visitors and sales: taking advantage of these elements all together, the fairs compete for survival in the art market.
One of the very first art fair ‘The Armory Show’ started in 1913. The fair introduced European avant-gard art in the U.S for the first time, and stimulated American art market, influenced the birth of contemporary art collectors and the movement of American art thereafter.
What is distinct about TOKYO FRONTLINE in comparison to the other fairs is its location and facilities. Based in the same building as the actual art fair venue, TOKYO FRONTLINE can create the whole fair program without time limitation.
The visitor can have intensive and necessary services during the fair, and enjoy the continuous services before and after the fair.
A healthy state of market means a market where active transaction are made, and if the meaning of art fair is again as a trade show, it is inevitable for the fair to make continuous approach to sales strategy that is the problems each art fairs has in common concern under the current situation of global economy. As The Armory Show is still topic of the art world even today, I expect TOKYO FRONTLINE to become an art fair where they create contemporary art collectors who continue to find new value.
Hidenori Kondo ― Creative Director, Hakuhodo/ Chief editor, TOKYO SOURCE
Perhaps it is even rare to see the job title like mine among the authors of contributing statements for art fair.
TOKYO FRONTLINE aspires to becoming the platform for ‘networking’ and ‘art contents development’, as well as differentiating itself from the conventional model of art fair just accommodates the galleries. The fair will introduce contemporary Japanese artists and their works to the Japanese and international collectors through the exhibition, and cooperates with artists, collectors, galleries, business enterprises and media to produce new value.
Nowadays, we feel we are more familiar with the word ‘art’ in the media, however ironically, the culture magazines are discontinued in succession and we still complain the absence of collectors and critics in art scene. This new art fair should be the stimulant which radicates the contemporary art to the cultural base of Japan.
Through my profession: working for various companies’ advertisements; the editor for quarterly magazine ‘Kokoku’; and the web magazine featuring my contemporaneous creators at personal level, my current concern is about the new relationship between art and business enterprises.
The continuous recession, environmental problem, changes in people’s perception and media structure by impact of Internet spread all over the world… At the big turning point of history, advertise agency and other business enterprises are enquired about their position in the society. CEO of Benesse Corporation, Mr. Fukutake said, ‘The economy serves to the culture’. We have witnessed the strain of economy-oriented society appear as numerous social problems, a new model of enterprise which invests on their business as well as the society and the people thus to be deserved.
Therefore the equal collaboration between the artists and the enterprises seems more natural than the hitherto known patronage system, in which the companies support the artists one-sidedly.
Considering TOKYO FRONTLINE is one of the starting points, as an individual, I would like to work as the hub between art and business.
Naoki Ito ― Creative Director
Art exists in the context of critique,
and companies exist in the context of marketing.
TOKYO FRONTLINE may well become a new
convergence of these two contexts.
Misa Shin ― Misa Shin Gallery
On 10 years has passed since the end of 20th century and 10 years has passed since the new century began. There are subtle changes in the art world but we can barely notice them. However, a future should be found in this indefinite situation. I look forward to seeing a fair which challenges the history of art.
