AST News
AIGA/NY Apple Store talk this Wednesday (Oct. 8th)
Apple Store, SOHO, Manhattan: Wednesday, October 8th, 6:30 - 8:00pm
Just a quick note to let you know I’ll be speaking about the design and production (among other things) of Art Space Tokyo at the Apple Store in SOHO this coming Wednesday (Oct. 8th, 2008) evening.
I’ll be talking about books, design, the creative process, finding time to work on passion projects and other topics, all within the context of living in Tokyo.
It’s a free event and should be quite interesting—pop by if you’re in the ‘hood!
NY Launch Wrapup
A big thank you to all who attended our event last week at Kinokuniya in NYC! It’s hard to believe a week has already passed since our official US launch of Art Space Tokyo. Turnout was better than expected. All seats were full and people were snaking around the back of the room and into the adjacent cafe. A large contingency of the New York art world, designers, artists and others interested in Japanese culture were in attendance.
It wouldn’t have been a success without the great panel we had that night: comprised of Roland Kelts (Japanamerica), Reiko Tomii and Kosuke Fujitaka (NY/Tokyo Art Beat). I’ve been to many a talk with panels than grossly ran over on time, had little focus or just sounded like a bunch of people talking over one another. In stark contrast to that, I think we were able to achieve a focused and concise look at the Tokyo art world. And Reiko even managed to plunge historical contexts in reference to the contemporary. Thanks to the diversity of the panelists, those in attendance got to hear three very different, but equally informed voices. Truly a special event that wouldn’t have been possible without the kindness of John Fuller at Kinokuniya for lending the space and equipment.
So this marks a somewhat sad moment for us here — with this event we officially complete the conception, production and launching of Art Space Tokyo. It’s strange, after working on something for so long and so hard, having planned these events months in advance, to finally arrive at the ‘finish line’ (so to speak) feels very much like having completed a mental (and very much physical) marathon. And as anyone who has trained for an finished a marathon knows, there’s a tinge of sadness in the triumph of achieving your goal.
Of course we’ll still be blogging about the Tokyo art world here, and we’ll be putting on more events and speaking at more bookshops. But the ‘official’ timetable, the schedule we had been working off for the past year or so, is done. Thank you all who helped make this book a success thus far! We look forward to seeing where this project leads us next.
Art Map #7 - SCAI The Bathhouse - Yanaka
SCAI is located in one of my personal favorite areas of Tokyo. Yanaka is in all the guidebooks but it’s often overlooked in favor of the glitz of Shibuya or the moral dubiosity of Shinjuku.
Yanaka is a romantic’s Tokyo: low lying, temple filled, spiritual, wooden, old, textured, musty, comfortable, friendly, slow, delicious ... these are some words you could use to describe the area. Mainly, I love the excellent Japanese food (100+ year old senbei shops and superb soba) and the easy going mood. Visiting for a few hours is like a tonic to the rat race of the rest of the city. Many a great day can be had in the Yanaka area if you’re simply looking to whittle away a sunny afternoon. And SCAI, sitting in the middle of it all, is a great stop along the way.
Don’t forget to grab the PDF map.
Takahashi Vs. Kinokuniya NYC
From September 15th until October 1st, Kinokuniya at Bryant Park, Manhattan, will be hosting a small exhibition of Art Space Tokyo illustrator Takahashi Nobumasa’s work.
Above is an image of the preparations in the secret back offices of Kinokuniya, which, despite being located in the heart of New York City, instantly transports you into a Japanese Office Space—otsukaresamadeshita and all.
Of course, this is in preparation for our big launch event / contemporary art symposium being held next Tuesday, the 23rd from 6:00pm. If you’re in the city, be sure to stop by—it should be a blast. We’ll have some of Takahashi’s prints and tenugui on sale. We’ll also have a healthy supply of books, so those looking to pick up their copy and get it signed shall be satiated.
Details:
Location: Kinokuniya Bryant Park (40th Street and 6th Ave, Manhattan. Closest station: 42nd street Bryant Park)
Dates: From September 15th to October 1st
CMP at the Brooklyn Book Festival
Craig and I were at the Brooklyn Book Festival all day yesterday, thankful that our stand was just in the shade of some very tall trees on an unusually hot day for New York.
It was great to meet fans of Chin Music Press and it was particularly rewarding to witness first hand so many people discovering Art Space Tokyo and the rest of CMP’s publications… there was unanimous praise for the quality of production! We’re looking forward to seeing many of you join us for the talk at Kinokuniya on the 23rd.
As Craig previously announced, last week we were guest bloggers for Powell’s Books. You can read our posts for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Art Space Tokyo VS September 2008
This is just a quick list of Art Space Tokyo related events Ashley and I are participating in this September:
- Starting Monday, September 8th, Ash and I will be guest blogging for a week over at Powell’s, the blog of the lovable, amazing Portland, Oregon based book shop of the same name.
- September 14th find us manning a booth at the Brooklyn Book Festival. Stop by and say, “Hi!” We’ll also have some Art Space Tokyo related limited edition Japanese cloth prints on sale.
- September 23rd is our big US launch event at Kinokuniya Bookstore next to Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan. It’s a book launch / Japanese contemporary art symposium and should be a lot of fun. We have an excellent lineup of participants. It’s free and starts at 6:00 PM! More info on our Facebook event page.
We’re very much looking forward to connecting with all you US based book and art lovers. Don’t be shy—feel free to stop by and pick our brains.
Art Map #6 - Gallery Koyanagi, Ginza
In just a few days Ashley and I are off to New York to promote Art Space Tokyo, but more on that later!
This is just a quick post to alert kind readers to the new art map for Gallery Koyanagi just posted, this very moment.
Like most of its peers in Ginza, Gallery Koyanagi is located in a typical, nondescript office building. However, as the elevator doors open on the eighth floor, a sleek, discreetly lit cavern of contemporary art stretches out before you. You are about to step into one of the largest commercial gallery spaces in Tokyo. This is the consummate white cube, and Gallery Koyanagi wears this look better than any other art space in the city.
Nakaochiai Gallery — Art Space Map #5
A little overdue, but our latest Art Space Tokyo art map is now up!
Nakaochiai Gallery, nestled in a small crook of mid-west Tokyo is one of our book’s most residential spaces. As always, don’t forget to download the high-res PDF version of the map.
We’ve also gone and added Nobumasa Takahashi’s drawings of the art space exteriors to all previous entries.
In related book news, we’re finalizing our September US release New York events and will be posting more information on those soon!
Art Map #2 - Tokyo Gallery + BTAP
What’s that you hear? I believe a new art map is hot off the presses. Download the map file right away, or tuck away the map link for later perusal.
Art Space Tokyo describes Tokyo Gallery + BTAP thusly:
Tokyo Gallery was founded in 1950 by Takashi Yamamoto, the man largely responsible for introducing contemporary art to Japan. As Japan’s first commercial contemporary art gallery, Tokyo Gallery has been at the center of the Tokyo art world for several decades and has continuously exhibited groundbreaking works by Japanese, Asian and Western artists.
Almost everyone knows Ginza but I would venture to say few know this seminal gallery. Tucked away in a back alley near Shinbashi, Tokyo Gallery + BTAP straddles one of those void-like interspaces long time residents of Tokyo know well. To the east lies all the shopping and glamour Ginza has built its reputation on. To the north, a gaggle of upscale hostess clubs; to the west Shinbashi and the Nagakin Capsule Tower, and deep to the south, Tsukiji.
Latest exhibition information and schedules can be found on the Tokyo Gallery + BTAP homepage or their Tokyo Art Beat listing.
Art Space Tokyo in the bookshops
I’m now back in Tokyo, taking in the whirlwind of activity that was the last ten days in New York.
When comparing the New York and Tokyo art scenes, aside from the larger number and size of galleries in New York, the key difference would be how NY has such distinct art areas, be it Chelsea, Soho, the Upper East Side, the Lower East Side or Williamsburg. With so many galleries concentrated into each of these areas, it is so easy to walk from door to door, from street to street, taking in dozens of shows at a time. In ten days I managed to see some sixty or so exhibitions!
Given how dispersed the galleries are in Tokyo, to do the same in here would be a physically exhausting feat, as Craig and I found out when we were doing our research for Art Space Tokyo last year. The pace of the gallery going experience in Tokyo is inherently different: although we marked other nearby galleries on the maps for each of the twelve spaces in AST, visiting these spaces is really about enjoying the charms of the surrounding area rather than just packing in exhibition after exhibition.
I’m pleased to see that Art Space Tokyo is now in Tokyo’s bookshops. Walking around Roppongi yesterday, I found it in the Tsutaya Roppongi Hills bookshop, the Roppongi Hills Art and Design Store in the Mori Art Museum and the SFT Store in the National Art Center. More outlets are listed here.
Checking out the New York art scene
Craig and I are finally in New York, getting our heads around all the exciting exhibitions and events taking place!
The first thing you cannot help but realize during an afternoon’s walk in Chelsea is how vast the galleries are compared to Tokyo. It feels like you could fit most of Tokyo’s major galleries inside David Zwirner’s cavernous space on W19th Street!
Differences aside, New York’s enthusiasm for Japanese contemporary art can be clearly felt as there are a number of related exhibitions on at the moment. Yoko Ono is having a solo show at Galerie Lelong; “Heavy Light”, a group show looking at contemporary Japanese photography is opening at the ICP this week; SANAA, the architects of the New Museum of Contemporary Art are showing the last ten years of their work in the same museum; and of course, Takashi Murakami is holding his colossal retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum.
The Japanese presence in NY just got a little stronger only a couple of weeks ago, when Tokyo Art Beat, the bilingual art listings website, finally launched New York Art Beat. It’s proving very useful for navigating this city…
artspacetokyo.com renewal and shanghai invasion
Tokyo launch party? Check. Pechakucha presentation in Japanese? Check. Refresh a website for a book with more information and detail than is necessary? Check.
Starting tomorrow our gaze shifts to our September US publication date. We’ll be posting updates, news and event information related to the book (and also some art events in Tokyo) as we travel down the twisted and horribly unpredictable road of public relations and marketing. Wish us luck, kind readers.
Photo: ART SPACE TOKYO in Shanghai — one of our on the ground Chinese agents helped not only smuggle the book into the country, but also get it into one of our favorite French Concession cafes.
About & Community
A place to keep abreast of Art Space Tokyo related news, reviews, events and updates.
Art Space Tokyo is a 272 page guide to the Tokyo art world published by Chin Music Press.
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Copyright © 2008 Chin Music Press
