About the Spatial Art TORAM Exhibition (Discussion)
Kiharago (modern tempera painter)
Yutaka Tabata (Spatial Art TORAM Representative/General Art Producer)
TORAM, a general incorporated association based in Nakasu-Kawabata, Fukuoka City, the largest city in Kyushu, operates numerous open-call exhibitions. Among them, the "Dynamic Contemporary Artists Exhibition" is a representative international open-call exhibition that will be held for the 12th time at the National Art Center, Tokyo in November 2023. In this interview, Yutaka Tabata, the representative director of the association and a comprehensive art producer involved in all aspects of exhibition planning, development, and operation, talks about the characteristics and thoughts behind the exhibition since its inception. In addition to being a director of the association and art director of the exhibitions, contemporary tempera painter Go Kihara, who is also active overseas, discusses the distinctive features of the exhibitions and the secrets to creating exhibition spaces that can be enjoyed by both artists and viewers when operating open-call exhibitions at museums.
The ability to encounter good things
Tabata: I have a personality where once I set my mind on something, I go straight for it. Among all things, I love art and was very interested in works and artists. From a young age, I wanted to be a painter, so I spent my childhood completely captivated by the charm of painting. As I grew up and entered adolescence, I encountered music such as rock and R&B, and as I started playing the guitar, I became drawn to the charm of music and was completely immersed in it (laughs). Before I knew it, I had moved to Tokyo and become a professional guitarist. In Tokyo, I was playing hard at live music venues almost every day.
Kihara: That's amazing. To think you wanted to be a painter since childhood. I'm a painter now, but I only discovered this world after encountering art in high school. There aren't many elementary school students who are interested in art from such a young age. But I completely understand the feeling of wanting to become a musician after discovering music during adolescence. The music you encounter back then is like a treasure that stays with you forever, isn't it?
Tabata: That's right, the music you encounter during your adolescence stays with you no matter how many years pass. Moreover, I was lucky to have encountered what is considered top-notch music during that time. Growing up in Hakata, music felt very close to me, so perhaps it was natural that I was able to pursue a career in music. I think I was born with a talent for encountering good things, or perhaps I was just lucky. I also believe that being able to play guitar and earn a living playing in top-notch live music venues as soon as I moved to Tokyo is due to my ability to encounter good things.
Currently, I work as a "general art producer," and this is a job that simply cannot be done without the ability to discover truly great things.
Kihara: I see. It certainly comes across that your ability to encounter good things is more of a talent than just skill. By the way, I'm not very familiar with the term "general art producer," so what exactly does that entail?
Tabata: Actually, this is a name I came up with, but basically, I currently run an art gallery called "Art Gallery 410 Gallery," and I'm constantly producing works by artists. In addition to that, I plan and manage international open-call exhibitions three to five times a year at venues such as the National Art Center, Tokyo and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, including exhibitions like "Dynamic Contemporary Artists Exhibition" and "Kankaku Exhibition." Since these are international open-call exhibitions, we gather artists through open calls each time to hold exhibitions. Also, I have a lot of ideas for art-related events and projects, so I can connect various things. I used to be involved in music, so I have connections with musicians, and I also understand the feelings of artists such as visual artists very well. I believe that my current job as a "comprehensive art producer" is to comprehensively produce all of these different forms of art.
[Kihara Gou]
Contemporary tempera painters
Born in 1975, currently residing in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Completed graduate studies in Fine Arts at Kyushu Sangyo University in 2000.
Studying art in Paris, France from 2000 to 2003
Worked as a high school art teacher from 2003 to 2021.
Representative of GoART LLC
Board Member, Spatial Art TORAM (General Incorporated Association)
○ Solo exhibitions held annually throughout Japan
Department stores such as Hakata Hankyu and Kagoshima Yamagataya
Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Paris, and more than 35 other locations.
Group exhibitions and other events
(The National Art Center, Tokyo; Fukuoka Asian Art Museum; Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art; Ishibashi Museum of Art; Fukuoka Art Museum; Kagoshima Art Museum; Reimeikan Museum)
[Toyo Tabata]
General Art Producer
Born in 1974, currently residing in Fukuoka Prefecture.
TORAM, General Incorporated Association for Spatial Art, Representative Director
Art Gallery 410Gallery Representative
ARTDAG representative
From a young age, he aspired to be a painter, and at the same time, influenced by his father, he started playing guitar at the age of eight. At 19, he began working as a professional guitarist. At 20, he moved his base of operations to Tokyo, and while continuing his band activities, he participated in sessions and live performances with numerous renowned musicians. From the age of 30, he worked as a salaried employee in a general company, and from the age of 35, he became responsible for planning exhibitions both domestically and internationally for an arts organization. Since 2016, he has been working independently, a position he holds to this day.
The background is an actual exhibition scene by TORAM, a general incorporated association of spatial arts. The exhibition is easy to view, with space between the works and the size and power balance of the works.
Creating a space that can be enjoyed by both artists and viewers.
Kihara: I understand. From a painter's perspective, I definitely want the exhibition to be produced by someone who understands the artist's feelings and position. Moreover, when you actually see the exhibition, you feel that it is structured from various perspectives, such as those of the artists and visitors. Furthermore, visitors to the art exhibitions held by Spatial Art TORAM all say in unison that "the exhibitions are very easy to view." Is there a secret to this?
Tabata: What I value most in my exhibitions is, of course, the perspective of the visitors, the audience. Many artists and participating artists come to see the exhibition, but they are also viewers, so I always keep in mind how the visitors will feel about the exhibition, while also looking at the exhibition as a whole. Museums, in particular, have high ceilings and exhibits are displayed in a space that you don't experience in everyday life, so I take the size of the venue into account and make sure that the height of the artworks and captions are consistent. I think that's one of the reasons why people feel that the exhibition is easy to view.
Kihara: That's true. I'm on the submitting side, so I often submit my work to other open call exhibitions, but even though such a wide variety of works are displayed all together on one floor, there's a very natural atmosphere that makes you feel at ease. I think that's partly due to the careful consideration given to the exhibition design.
Tabata: That's right. Absolutely. You can understand a lot more about a work of art when you see the actual piece up close. We ask applicants to attach photos when they apply, but that only tells you about a tenth of what the work is about. It really starts with seeing and feeling it in person. We look at the atmosphere of the work, and while considering the colors, size, and content, we arrange the pieces in the exhibition space in a way that creates a story from the entrance to the exit. Since each piece is imbued with the artist's feelings, we strive to display each piece in a way that allows it to come alive and thrive on its own.
What the spatial art group TORAM wants to do
Kihara: I see, that's the secret! I've been painting for many years and have submitted my work to various open-call exhibitions as a painter, but I think that what makes TORAM's exhibitions unique is the ingenuity and consideration that other open-call exhibitions don't have. I studied art in France for three years, and when I went to museums, I felt that most of the exhibitions conveyed a strong sense of the artist's philosophy and feelings about the exhibit. In that sense, I felt that TORAM's exhibitions are made in a similar way to those in France. In a sense, I feel that Japanese exhibitions often focus too much on the message of the artwork itself, and lose sight of the narrative meaning of the exhibition. What TORAM's exhibitions are trying to do is precisely to create exhibitions that focus on contemporary artists, and by bringing together works with various forms of expression in the same space, I think they are creating exhibitions that reflect contemporary society.
Tabata: Right now, little by little, this exhibition is getting closer to what I've always wanted to do and my ideal. When you run an international open call exhibition, all sorts of things happen. You never know what kind of artists will show up each time. To be honest, there are times when I feel incredibly anxious. But every time I run the exhibition, I always encounter brilliant works and vibrant artists. I really do encounter wonderful works and amazing artists every time. That's why, having planned and managed it for so many years, it's always been incredibly fun.
Incidentally, having been involved in music myself, I understand that band members create great music by synchronizing with each other through their music. Similarly, I believe that if we strengthen the connections between diverse artists in the art world, something amazing could be created. I want to create something like that on a larger scale.
Kihara: That's right. Art is a solitary world, so it's easy to become isolated. In art, the need to pursue one's own world to the fullest is very important. However, I think it's also good to actively seek connections with other artists during exhibitions. It would be wonderful if we could create an exhibition space where artists can share a space where they can inspire and uplift each other.