This installment of the “Examining Artists” series features Henri Matisse, one of the greatest masters of 20th-century art.

Born in northern France, he played a central role in Fauvism and greatly influenced later artists.

In the first part, we follow the early life of the artist, during which he established his distinctive style of vivid colors and color fields.

TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR 2022 (TABF 2022) was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo from Thursday, October 27 to Sunday, October 30, 2022. Unique art books creators came together to showcase their works directly to visitors. Held since 2009, this edition marked its 12th occurrence. TABF 2022 hosted approximately 200 exhibitors from Japan and abroad, including publishers, galleries, artists, and printing houses. We invited voice actor Soma Saito to make purchases worth 20,000 yen at this event within one hour. He is an art enthusiast who frequently explores Tokyo’s art museums and is renowned for his avid reading habits. What did Mr. Saito select from the multitude of art books available?

People often say that the autumn season deepens the appreciation of art. If you are considering visiting art spots in Tokyo in November, be sure to check out “Art Week Tokyo (AWT),” an international art event that kicked off in full swing in 2022. This event ran for four days, starting from November 3, 2022, with the participation of museums and galleries at the forefront of contemporary art in Tokyo.

In this column, we report the event based on the press conference and press tour held on October 27.

In February 2021, an open-to-the-city space integrating “working” and “living,” was established in a business district just a 5-minute walk from JR Shinagawa Station. The facility is named “THE CAMPUS.” This facility is the result of KOKUYO Co., Ltd., founded in 1905 and known for its stationery and office furniture, renovated its own building. We report on “THE CAMPUS,” where 25 works by 12 domestic and international artists are exhibited in the building.

The series of articles introduces the allures of gardens in Tokyo with commentary by Miho Tanaka, curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum.

This time, we visited the Former Yasuda Garden (Kyu-Yasuda Teien), located by the Sumida River in Ryogoku. The garden is abundant in water and greenery, offering a place of relaxation to the locals. What laid the foundation for it was a lofty aspiration of businessman Zenjiro Yasuda.

Photos: Norihisa Kushibiki, Shu Nakagawa

Commentary: Miho Tanaka (Curator, Edo-Tokyo Museum)

Collaboration: Sumida Tourism Association

“Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass 2023” is a set of free and discount QR-code tickets to 101 art and science museums in Tokyo and nearby areas. It costs 2,500 yen and can be used once at each facility for two months from the date of first use. This article will introduce a special “budget” walking route that includes one of the country’s largest book museums and two gardens.

The term “public domain” refers to public intellectual property that is not copyrighted. There are art museums around the world that offer open online access to works in their collections. Here, we highlight works that have entered the public domain and redefine the appeal of such collections.

This time, the Examining Artists series picks up Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), a master of modern American architecture. A lover of ukiyoe prints and an ardent Japanophile, Wright designed “the Imperial Hotel (now partially relocated and preserved at Museum Meiji-Mura)” and “the Jiyu Gakuen School”. He was active across the world, with a broad perspective spanning not only art, architecture, and design, but also education and urban planning. The article introduces Wright’s life and episodes with Nanako Kakei’s colorful illustrations.

Continuing our series exploring the world of free papers, following “CHANGE” and “PASSION”, the third theme is “DIVERSITY”. This time, we spoke with Ms. Yukari, who launched Ameagari in 2018. Described as a “free magazine where one can learn about various ways of life through diverse genders” it has been published twice a year since its inception. Each issue features meticulous interviews aligned with themes such as “Dreams,” “Marriage,” “Transparency,” and “Confession.”

“Tokyo Arts and Space Residency (TOKAS Residency) ” provides opportunities for local artists to engage in exchanges with creators from around the world. In addition to interacting with fellow artists during their stay, participants are expected to give presentations in English and have exhibitions at Tokyo Arts and Space Hongo (TOKAS Hongo). This continuous support for local artists is a key aspect of TOKAS Residency’s many creator-in-residence programs. In this installment, we will share the experiences of Kohei Maeda and Mieko Matsumoto who took part in the Local Creator Residency Program.

In this special edition of the article series introducing up-and-coming gallerists, Tomio Koyama of Tomio Koyama Gallery, Yuko Yamamoto of ANOMALY, and Misako Rosen of MISAKO & ROSEN discuss the current state of the art markets. Let’s find out what is happening with the art markets considered noteworthy by the three gallerists who travel overseas frequently.

Text: Takashi Shinkawa

Photo: Yuta Hinohara

Translation: Erica Sawaguchi

Art and science: There are artists who attempt to fuse these seemingly opposite fields. Two individuals, who are active in the realms of classic music and media art, discussed online.

Emergency Art Aid provides urgent assistance for distressed artists. Several legal professionals answer to a range of consulters each time. The law does not restrict your creative activities, and having the right knowledge can provide vital support.

This time, consultation is about “What if the purchaser arbitrarily alters the artwork?” If someone who purchased your work makes unauthorized modifications to it, how far can the artist assert their rights regarding that action?

Illustration: Kaeko Akaike

Cooperation and supervision: Arts and Law

Editor: Yuko Sakamoto

Translation: Kae Shigeno

Haruki Murakami is a novelist with a worldwide fan base who released his first full-length novel in six years, “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” in April 2023. In 2021, a new facility at his alma mater, Waseda University, opened. Built with the concept, “Explore Your Story, Speak Your Heart,” the Waseda International House of Literature (The Haruki Murakami Library) houses diverse materials, including 7,000 volumes of the novelist’s works, including both Japanese and other language editions, as well as writing-related materials donated or entrusted by him, his interview articles, reviews of his works, and vinyl records he has collected. The facility is a literary museum and cultural exchange institution that contributes to the research and development of Murakami literature, international literature, and literature in translation.

Ikimono Sketchbook Project is a series of children’s workshops combining music, art, and science, conducted between 2021 and 2023 (organizer: Ongaku No Tomo Sha). The project aims to produce a piano suite on the theme of ikimono (living things) by incorporating ideas children create through workshops. The series brought together professionals in their respective fields, including composer Celéri Haruhata. The article introduces the workshop where children depicted ikimono through different sounds and colors.

The Seikado Bunko Art Museum houses one of only three existing Yohen Tenmoku tea bowls in the world, along with seven national treasures and 84 important cultural properties. About 130 years after the founding of the Seikado Bunko, a new gallery was opened in Marunouchi in the autumn of 2022. Affectionately known as “Seikado@Marunouchi.” Located on the first floor of the Meiji Seimei Kan, a 5-minute walk from JR Tokyo Station. With its glamorous interior design that preserves the modern architecture, designated as an important cultural property, the exhibition rooms surround the foyer where light streams in. Looking back on the history leading up to the establishment of the new gallery, we introduce the charm of the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, embarking on a new start.

As soon as you step into her atelier, you are overwhelmed by an enormous amount of information and energy condensed in the space. The owner of the studio is Sachiko Kazama, an artist who has made great progress in recent years, including the recent acquisition of her work “Dyslympics 2680” by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Kazama creates a scene from a story based on various things she uncovers from the past through careful research and turns it into a picture using woodblock printing techniques. We asked Kazama about her encounter with woodblock printmaking, the transition of her studio, and the establishment of her unique style.

In November 2021, the Marubeni Gallery opened near Takebashi subway station in Tokyo. The space is located on the third floor of the headquarters building of Marubeni Corporation, a major general trading company. Since its establishment in 1858, the company has collected dyed fabrics and textile designs through its textile business. In the 1960s, Marubeni was one of the first general trading companies in Japan to become involved in the art business, and it acquired 1,300 works, including Western and modern Japanese paintings. We visited the cultural facility where they are exhibited.

Kiyosumi Gardens is a renowned stone garden constructed by the Iwasaki family across three generations. Apart from the breathtaking Daisensui pond and lush greenery, the unique stones collected from various regions by Yataro Iwasaki are also a sight to behold. In the second part of the article, we will explore the allure of these stones that have become synonymous with Kiyosumi Gardens, accompanied by commentary from Miho Tanaka and photographs taken by Norihisa Kushibiki.

Photo: Norihisa Kushibiki

Story: Miho Tanaka (Curator at Edo-Tokyo Museum)

Cooperation: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association