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​ About the spatial art TORAM exhibition (dialogue)

Kiharago (modern tempera painter)

Yutaka Tabata (Spatial Art TORAM Representative/General Art Producer)

``TORAM General Incorporated Association,'' which is based in Nakasukawabata, Fukuoka City, the largest metropolis in Kyushu, is an organization that manages a number of public exhibitions, including the ``Dynamic Contemporary Artists Exhibition,'' which will be held in November 2023. This is a representative international public exhibition that will be held for the 12th time at the National Art Center, Tokyo. An interview with Yutaka Tabata, the representative director of this organization and a general art producer who is involved in all aspects of exhibition planning, planning, management, etc., as he talks about the characteristics and thoughts of the exhibition since its establishment. In addition to being the director of this organization and art direction for exhibitions, Kiharago, a contemporary tempera painter who is also active overseas, talks with artists about the unique characteristics of exhibitions, and in managing public exhibitions at art museums. They discussed the secret to creating an exhibition space that people can enjoy together.

 

| Ability to encounter good things

TabataHe also had a personality that when he thought about it, he was straight forward. Above all, I loved art and was very interested in works and artists. I originally wanted to become a painter since I was a child, so I spent my childhood obsessed with 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 was drawn to the charm of music and immersed myself in it (lol). Before I knew it, I moved to Tokyo and became a professional guitarist. I was there. In Tokyo, you were playing hard at live houses almost every day.

 

KiharaThat's amazing. I've wanted to be a painter since I was a child. I'm currently a painter, but I first discovered this world when I encountered painting when I was in high school. There are very few elementary school students who are interested in art from an early age. However, I completely understand the feeling of discovering music in adolescence and wanting to become a musician. The music I encountered back then is like an asset that will remain with me forever.

 

fieldsThat's right, the music I encountered during my adolescence remains the same no matter how many years have passed. Moreover, I was lucky to be able to encounter music that was said to be top-notch from that era. Growing up in Hakata, I felt that music was very close to me, so maybe I was able to pursue music naturally, or maybe I just have the talent to discover good things, or maybe I'm just lucky. I think it originally existed. I believe that the reason I was able to earn money by playing the guitar at a first-class live house right after I moved to Tokyo is because I have the ability to discover good things.

Currently, I am working as a ``general art producer,'' but this is a job that would only be possible if you had the ability to discover good things.

 

KiharaThat's right. It's true that I can feel that my ability to come across good things is more a matter of talent than ability. By the way, I'm not very familiar with the term "general art producer," but what exactly do you do?

 

fieldsThis is actually a name I made up, but I currently run a gallery called ``Bijutsu Gallery 410 Gallery'' and am always producing artists. In addition, they plan and manage international public exhibitions at venues such as the National Art Center, Tokyo and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum three to five times a year, such as the ``Dynamic Contemporary Artists Exhibition'' and the ``Kankaku Exhibition.'' Since this is an international exhibition, artists are invited to participate in each exhibition. Also, I have a lot of ideas for art-related events and projects, so I can connect various things. Since I used to play music, I have connections with musicians, and I understand the feelings of artists such as artists. I believe that my current job as a ``general art producer'' is to produce works that include each type of art in a comprehensive manner.

きはらごう

[Kiharago]

modern tempera painter

Born in 1975, lives in Kagoshima Prefecture

Graduate School of Fine Arts, Kyusan University Graduate School of Fine Arts, 2000

Study abroad in art in Paris, France 2000-2003

Worked as a high school art teacher 2003-2021

Representative of GoART LLC

Director of Kukan Art TORAM General Incorporated Association

○Solo exhibitions held throughout the country every year

Department stores such as Hakata Hankyu and Kagoshima Yamagataya

Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Paris, and more than 35 times

Group exhibitions etc.

(The National Art Center, Tokyo, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Ishibashi Museum of Art, Fukuoka City Museum of Art, Kagoshima City Museum of Art, Reimeikan

田畑 

[Yutaka Tabata]

General art producer

Born in 1974, lives in Fukuoka Prefecture

Representative Director of TORAM, a general incorporated association for spatial arts

Representative of art gallery 410Gallery

​ARTDAG Representative

​Aimed to be a painter from an early age, and at the same time started playing the guitar at the age of 8 under the influence of his father. Started working as a professional guitarist at the age of 19. At the age of 20, he moved his base of activities to Tokyo, and in parallel with his band activities, he participated in sessions and live guitarists with many famous musicians. He started working as an office worker at the age of 30, and was featured in the Nikkei Shimbun as Japan's number one in sales during the year-end sales season. From the age of 35, he became in charge of domestic and international exhibition planning for art organizations, and since 2016 he has been independent since 2016.

田畑 きはらごう

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 where artists and viewers can enjoy together

KiharaI agree. From a painter's perspective, I would like the work to be produced by someone who understands the artist's feelings and position. Moreover, when I look at the actual exhibition, I get the feeling that the exhibition is constructed from a variety of perspectives, including those of the artists and visitors. What's more, all the viewers of Spatial Arts TORAM's art exhibition are unanimously saying that the exhibits are very easy to view. Is there any secret to this?

 

fieldsThe most important aspect of an exhibition is the perspective of the customers who come to see it, that is, the visitors. Many artists and participating artists come to see the exhibition, and since they are also viewers, we are always looking at the exhibition from a bird's-eye view and thinking about how the audience will feel about the exhibition. We are particular about our conscious exhibition methods. Art museums in particular have high ceilings, and exhibits are held in spaces that cannot be experienced in everyday life, so we adjust the display height of the works and the height of the captions based on the size of the venue. I think this is one of the reasons why the exhibition feels so easy to view.

 

Kihara surely. Since I am the one who exhibits my works, I often submit them to other public exhibitions, but seeing such a wide variety of works displayed all together on one floor, I just felt like I was entering the exhibition naturally. It has that kind of atmosphere. I wonder if there was consideration given to the exhibition.

 

fields I agree. surely. You can often understand the work by seeing it up close. When you apply, you are asked to attach a photo, but that doesn't tell you even one-tenth of the details. After all, it all starts with what you actually see and feel. While looking at the atmosphere of the work and considering the color, size, and content of the work, we arrange the works in a way that creates a story from the entrance to the exit within the exhibition space. Because each work is filled with the artist's thoughts, we strive to display each work in a way that allows each individual work to be vibrant and vibrant on its own.

 

| What Spatial Art TORAM wants to do

KiharaI see, that's the secret! I have been drawing for many years and have exhibited my work in various public exhibitions as a painter, but I think this is a unique ingenuity and consideration that is unique to Spatial Art TORAM, which is not found in other public exhibitions. I studied art in France for three years, and when I go to art museums, most of the exhibitions I see really convey the way people think and feel about the exhibits. In that sense, I felt that they were creating exhibitions similar to France. In a sense, I feel that Japanese exhibitions place too much emphasis on the claims of the works themselves, and often lose sight of the meaning of the exhibition's story. What Spatial Art TORAM is trying to do is to create an exhibition that focuses on contemporary artists, and by putting works of various expressions in the same space, it seems to reflect the current modern society. I think they are creating a great exhibition.

 

fieldsNow, little by little, the exhibition is getting closer to what I wanted to do and what I idealized. A lot of things happen when you're holding an international exhibition. You never know what kind of artists will come each time. Honestly, there are times when I feel really anxious. However, every time I go to an exhibition, I always come across brilliant works and dynamic artists. Truly, I come across wonderful works and wonderful artists every time. That's why I've been planning and managing it for so many years, and it's always so much fun.

By the way, I know from my background in music that band members synchronize with the music and produce good performances. I think that if we can create closer connections between a wide variety of artists and artists, we will be able to create something amazing. I would like to create something like that in a larger form.

 

Kihara I agree. Art is a solo world, so it's easy to stay alone. The need to investigate one person's world is very important in art. However, I think it's good to actively seek connections between artists during exhibitions. I would be extremely happy if we could create an exhibition space where artists can share a space where they can enhance each other.

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