G-tokyo 2010 — A New Art Fair

A stylish art fair is born at Mori Arts Center Gallery.

Last January “Art@Agnes” was held for the final time. There is still no official word on whether “101Tokyo” is happening this April. Certainly seems like a brave time to be starting a new art fair. But this is at Mori and nothing is impossible. A strong selection of the capital’s top contemporary art galleries have gathered together in one place for “G-tokyo 2010”.

Rather than the vast maze-like sprawl common to many other art fairs, “G-tokyo 2010” is structured in three modest tiers, making for an art fair experience that is thankfully not a marathon. Instead of volume, the organizers have concentrated on presentation and curation. Each of the galleries is allotted a huge booth, sometimes larger than the actual gallery’s real exhibition space. Wide, wooden corridors allow visitors to stand back and take in the works. Very chic. Very Mori.

Each of the three tiers has wide corridors. No crammed booths or packed passages at this art fair.

Visitors peer at a work by Anish Kapoor, opposite the SCAI The Bathhouse booth.

...which was emitting a strange pink colour.

Inside, the paintings were literally glowing.

Yusuke Saito's giant wall at the Gallery Side 2 booth.

The hiromiyoshii booth was dominated by a video installation.

One of the most interesting parts of the fair were the areas connecting the sections. At this one people could relax on designer furniture in a darkened lounge.

Artist Teppei Kaneuji (right) looks on as visitors discuss his work and others' at the Shugoarts booth.

Another connecting section, this time a stunning undergrowth forest produced by Sou Fujimoto. Walking across the space is Mark Pearson, of Zen Foto Gallery.

You had to watch where you put your feet when the forest pathway had a traffic jam.

Steve Jobs would be proud: Mac becomes art.

The usual ethnographically grotesque piece at Yamamoto Gendai.

Yes, that is a pylon in the Mizuma Art Gallery booth.

Eerie lights by Olafur Eliasson at Gallery Koyanagi's booth.

William Andrews

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William Andrews

William Andrews came to Japan in 2004. He first lived in Osaka, where he was a translator for Kansai Art Beat. Arriving in Tokyo in 2008, he now works as an writer, editor and translator. He writes a blog about Japanese radicalism and counterculture and one about Tokyo contemporary theatre. He is the author of Dissenting Japan: A History of Japanese Radicalism and Counterculture, from 1945 to Fukushima.

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