Comments from Judges on Artwork Submitted to the Initial Screening

Yusaku Imamura
Special Visiting Professor, Nagoya University of Arts
Nagoya University of the Arts Special Visiting Professor

When I look at a young Artist 's work, I try to read the ``something urgent'' for that person rather than the ``goodness.'' I think individuality is the ability to see through this urgency. However, it takes courage to fulfill it. The purpose of this award is to encourage and support those lonely fights. We look forward to the future successes of the selected Artist.

When I observe young artists' art pieces, I try to analyze their sincere feelings within them rather than how “good” their art pieces may be. I believe that one's personality and characteristic is shown through those sincere feelings, but I also believe that it may be challenging to actually show those feelings through their artwork. AATM is for artists to show those feelings and support them despite how challenging it may be. I am looking forward for the young artists' future success.

Eriko Kimura​
Chief Curator Yokohama Museum of Art
Chief Curator, Yokohama Museum

It is important to find your own style and motifs that you are particular about, but I felt a stronger sense of future potential in artists who aim to broaden their range of interests and pursue diverse forms of expression. I think exhibiting in a challenging space will be a valuable experience, so I hope that the exhibit will take advantage of the characteristics of the location.

I believe it is very important to find your own style and passion, but at the same time I also believe that spreading your antenna to different ranges of expressions is vital to becoming an artist with more future ahead. Submitting your artwork to a challenging exhibition like AATM will become a valuable experience for you so I am looking forward for this exhibition to become a place where artists can develop and grow with their art.

Shigeo Goto​
Editor, Creative Director, Kyoto University of Art and Design Professor
Editor, Creative Director, Professor,
Kyoto University of Art and Design

Important things in art. It's the initial impulse and its persistence. I think it takes a passion so extraordinary that it warps space and time. Ask yourself again whether this is true in your work. It's time to focus on actions that are on the verge of bankruptcy, rather than on sleight of hand and calculation.

The most important idea of art; that is the first impact or impression, and its continuity. Something as eccentric as the distortion of space and time is necessary in your passion. Ask yourself once again if your art piece has that passion. It is not the small details of your hands nor the calculation within your piece, rather, now is the time to face the narrow line of failure.

Tomio Koyama​
Representative of Tomio Koyama Gallery, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Faculty of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University
Director, Tomio Koyama Gallery, and
Associate Professor,
School of global Japanese Studies, Meiji University

I think both people who took a dynamic approach and people who took an introspective or academic approach won prizes this time. I think it's interesting when you can see that these expressions, which seem to be separated, are somehow connected. We are focusing on the serious perspectives of Artist who grasp their own reality.

This year, there were young artists who took both dynamic approaches towards their art as well as artists who took introspective/academic approaches. It was very interesting to see those art pieces intersect in ways that I would have never imagined and seeing the artists' view of the realistic world caught my attention.

Akiya Takahashi Akiya Takahashi
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo Director
Director, Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo

Although I felt that the enthusiasm was a little lower than in previous years, I was reminded that young artists are still searching for new ways to express themselves. I sincerely hope that AATM will become more well-known and that more people will take this opportunity to become active.

Compared to last year, I felt as though there was not as much hype and passion, but at the same time I also felt the never changing passion from the young artists through their search for new elements and expressions within their art pieces. I sincerely hope AATM becomes more recognized throughout Japan and more artists use this wonderful opportunity as a step for their future.

Akira Tatehata
President of Tama Art University, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama
President, Tama Art University, and Director,
The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

One of the joys of judging this competition is being able to get a feel for the sensibilities of the youngest generation regarding the current times, but it was a great benefit to see so many works with unique ideas that differed from the existing context. Met.

What is so interesting with AATM is how I can interact and feel first hand how the younger generations feel about the world today and feel their sensitivity and perspective from their art pieces. This year, many artists went beyond the existing structure of the world and expressed unique ideas within their creative mind.

Reiichi Noguchi Reiichi Noguchi
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo Head of Curatorial Group
Chief Curator, Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo

Although diversity is respected, we live in an era where it is difficult to see the direction in which we should aim. The works gathered here are at the cutting edge of expression, and I'm always at a loss as to what to choose. It feels like rowing through a vast ocean, but even so, there are works that serve as markers of where we are now, and the joy of being a judge is being able to encounter them.

Versatility and diversity is highly respected in art, but in our generation today, it is difficult to find the “right” way to see things. The art pieces that are gathered in this exhibition are those that are cutting-edge with their expressions and it is always hard to choose which art pieces to show in AATM. It feels as if I am in a boundless expanse of water, but when I come across art pieces that strike me, it is times like this that reminds me of the joy and delight in screening the art pieces.