Judge | AATM Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi 2021

Yusaku Imamura
Yusaku Imamura
Professor, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
Professor,
Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School,
Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo

One of the most attractive aspects of this award's judging process is that it selects a wide variety of talents with different themes and media. Every year, I am always able to meet some outstanding writers. I hope this award will support them in deepening their progress.

Review for this award, what makes it attractive lies upon the selection of a variety of talents. Out of all of them, there is always an opportunity to meet someone preeminent. Wishing that this award will be the advocate of the pursue.

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

In just one year, the environment surrounding our lives has changed dramatically, and the form of places for presenting and appreciating works of art is being reconsidered on a daily basis. At the same time, I feel that expressions that move people's hearts and provide intellectual stimulation need to be more universal than ever. I hope that this exhibition, which has been ongoing for over 10 years, will not only serve as an opportunity to introduce young talent, but also reflect the trends of the times.

Just within a year, the environment that surrounds our lives changed. The place where showcasing and marvel around the art pieces reviewed each day. It feels that now the prevalence is the most sought for, such as the expressions that simultaneously stir people and give short stimulation. This award has been there for ten years, hoping that it will provide the opportunity to showcase the young talents and reflect the flow of the era at the same time.

Shigeo Goto
Shigeo Goto
editor, creative director,
Professor, Kyoto University of Arts
Editor, Creative Director,
Professor, Kyoto University of the Art

This year's AATM was an unusual event as the graduation exhibition and judging were held during the coronavirus pandemic. However, what I realized by visiting each university is the strong vitality of art. Even while confined, I felt that there was internal evolution, and that my desire for relationships that transcended borders (racial and gender differences) became stronger. This year has made me keenly aware once again of the social importance of AATM.

This year of AATM is unprecedented due to graduate showcase exhibits, and the review had to go through the COVID-19 turmoil. Although, one could sense the strong vitality of art by going around each university. There is internal evolution within confinement, and note the strong desire to have a border (race, discrimination) traversing relationship. This year reminded the societal importance of AATM.

Tomio Koyama
Tomio Koyama
Representative of Tomio Koyama Gallery
Representative Director, Japan Contemporary Art Dealers Association
Director, Tomio Koyama Gallery,
Representative Director,
Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon

What I felt strongly about this time was the wide variety of subjects and methods of expression. In response to this, the exhibition space in Marunouchi will expand throughout the city, and I hope that the works of art created by individuals will create a little bit of a stir in everyday life.

What was it to ponder during this review is, their subject and method of expression are starting to be wide-ranging. Hopefully, it will correspond to the space of the Marunouchi gallery and expand to the streets, and each art piece born out of an individual will cause some small waves in everyday lives.

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

Under the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, various restrictions were imposed on each university's graduation exhibition, but as usual, we were able to select ambitious works to be submitted to this award. It is interesting that the diversity of each Artist stands out, perhaps reflecting the era when there were no strong trends sweeping the art scene.

Being living under the COVID-19 pandemic, each university successfully selected ambitious works for this award as in the past. It is interesting to point out the diversity of each artist is prominent, as if reflecting the period when the great movements that stir the art The scene is not there.

Reiichi Noguchi
Reiichi Noguchi
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo Curator
Curator, Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo

While there were many works with a high degree of perfection, I felt that there were few works with surprising ideas. I wonder if the lifestyle of dealing with a prolonged infectious disease is having an impact on the production. However, there is always a big difference in the impression you receive from a work when you see it in a portfolio and when you actually come into contact with it. I'm looking forward to being betrayed at the exhibition site.

While there were a plethora of high-quality pieces, it feels that works of surprising concepts were scarce. Assumingly, their practices have been affected by the prolonged lifestyle of COVID-19 measurement. On that note, the impression you get in a portfolio differs from facing in reality. Expect to be betrayed in the gallery.

Arata Hasegawa
Arata Hasegawa
independent curator
Independent curator

I believe that the reason the number of applications is higher than usual is that creators are seeking "Access rights" other than exhibitions. On the other hand, there were a small number of applicable outdoor works, which required adjustment. Works that can be displayed outdoors require a heavy burden in terms of production, transportation, storage, and safety measures. This was a prerequisite even before the coronavirus, and I once again felt the need for support.

The number of applications is higher than in the past, seemingly reflecting the artists asking for the "right to access" without conventional exhibitions. With that said, the number of works showing outside was scarce and required adjustment. Artists whose showing outside have their work cut out for them, the process of making, transport, storing, safety measures, provide all of them are too much work. It has been the premise long before the pandemic and seemed to need more support.