Posted:Apr 2, 2010

Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair 2009

Tokyo’s third main art fair and its second contemporary art fair was held at Tokyo Bijutsu Club. The fair focussed on young artists and affordable art pieces.

Live painting at the entrance to one of the floors
Live painting at the entrance to one of the floors
Photo: William Andrews

Seen also at 'Emerging Directors Art Fair: Ultra 002', Akira Yoshida's rocking horse, Yukari Art Contemporary
Seen also at 'Emerging Directors Art Fair: Ultra 002', Akira Yoshida's rocking horse, Yukari Art Contemporary
Photo: William Andrews

Mutsumi Sue of Osaka's fabre8710 gallery stands in front of her work
Mutsumi Sue of Osaka's fabre8710 gallery stands in front of her work
Photo: William Andrews

Shinseido had by far the most impressive booth in terms of its physical set-up, with Akio Ohmori's 'Circus in the Dream'
Shinseido had by far the most impressive booth in terms of its physical set-up, with Akio Ohmori's 'Circus in the Dream'
Photo: William Andrews

Akio Sumiyoshi's work, Tezukayama Gallery (Osaka)
Akio Sumiyoshi's work, Tezukayama Gallery (Osaka)
Photo: William Andrews

Hiroyuki Toi, Tezukayama Gallery
Hiroyuki Toi, Tezukayama Gallery
Photo: William Andrews

LOOTone's beguiling sad clowns and characters, Galleria Grafica Tokio booth
LOOTone's beguiling sad clowns and characters, Galleria Grafica Tokio booth
Photo: William Andrews

Extraordinary wooden sculptures by Takeshi Haguri from Nagoya's Gallery APA
Extraordinary wooden sculptures by Takeshi Haguri from Nagoya's Gallery APA
Photo: William Andrews

Haguri's work uses a lot of old Edo era motifs, such as traditional tattoos
Haguri's work uses a lot of old Edo era motifs, such as traditional tattoos
Photo: William Andrews
A familiar sight at the Mori Yu Gallery booth: Paramodel also made this design (top) into a TAB t-shirt
A familiar sight at the Mori Yu Gallery booth: Paramodel also made this design (top) into a TAB t-shirt
Photo: William Andrews

The photo does not do it justice: Ginjiro Mawatari's remarkable masks at the galeria de muerte booth
The photo does not do it justice: Ginjiro Mawatari's remarkable masks at the galeria de muerte booth
Photo: William Andrews

William Andrews

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.