Based at ANB Tokyo in Roppongi, aspiring to create a cultural ecosystem and new nexus of art and society
Tokyo Art Acceleration (TAA) was founded with the aim of cultivating an
ecosystem in
society for culture to flourish through art.
Based at ANB Tokyo, a newly opened complex
in Roppongi, TAA supports artists with ambitious practices, builds an art-centered community,
and plans and runs exhibitions, talks, and other events.
Harnessing an interdisciplinary
network through its future activities, it will strive to create a new nexus between art and
society in ANB Tokyo and beyond.
Based at ANB Tokyo in Roppongi, aspiring to create a cultural ecosystem and new nexus of art and society
Tokyo Art Acceleration (TAA) was founded with the aim of cultivating an
ecosystem in
society for culture to flourish through art.
Based at ANB Tokyo, a newly opened complex
in Roppongi, TAA supports artists with ambitious practices, builds an art-centered community,
and plans and runs exhibitions, talks, and other events.
Harnessing an interdisciplinary
network through its future activities, it will strive to create a new nexus between art and
society in ANB Tokyo and beyond.
Thinking about a future ecosystem for art that seizes on art’s power to captivate people
Tokyo Art Acceleration is a foundation established with a private donation
from myself as well as a donation from Akatsuki Inc., the company where I serve as CEO, via its
scheme launched in 2018 to use 1 percent of business profits for nonprofit activities.
I came
to conceive of setting up an art foundation from my experience of traveling to art fairs and
museums in Japan and overseas from around late 2017, witnessing their sheer scale as well as how
the visitors comprised people of all ages and genders enjoying art in various ways. As someone
always conscious especially in terms of digital entertainment of how to attract people and
entice them to try my company’s services, I developed an interest at some point in the dynamism
and power art has to captivate.
At the same time, I also sensed a disparity between Japan and
the rest of the world in regard to the level of sophistication of the art industry. Like how the
efforts of various older peers helped to grow the ecosystem for startups in Japan over the past
ten or fifteen years, the state of the Japanese contemporary art ecosystem is perhaps similar to
that situation ten or fifteen years ago. Not only enjoying art as a collector, it is my hope
that I can make a contribution to the future ecosystem of contemporary art in Japan through
creating a platform and community, and by building bridges with IT and other industries.
Reciprocity after dialogue
A new challenge as a curator
Until now, I have carried out projects with many artists and art industry
peers at
home and abroad. I have shared values and experiences across nationality, generation, field, and
specialty, and come into contact with those ways of living. This has been an indispensable
experience for me. Getting out of the art museum came from my desire to try new challenges while
accumulating different encounters in freer environments.
As the first node between Kouda and myself, this foundation will carry out various projects and
build relationships that are like clusters of beads. Representative Director Kouda comes from
the business world, while I hail from the art world. As such, our perspectives diverge
significantly, but we came to realize things over the course of dialogue. It feels like this
kind of reciprocal influence and change is what is also needed in the art scene right now.
It takes time and effort for people from different contexts and areas to understand one another,
but I believe such potential is cultivated by working together toward new things. I regard my
mission in this foundation as that of harnessing my experiences until now and undertaking
facilitation that connects art and society.
From our base at ANB Tokyo, creating multiplex communication and engaging in projects that connect with various channels
With community lounge, gallery, and studio facilities, ANB Tokyo utilizes the
functionality of each floor to support the creative activities of artists, build an art-centered
community, and plan and run exhibitions, talks, and other events. From artists to curators,
collectors, business people, government officials, and researchers, out of the multiplex
communication that arises at ANB Tokyo, we engage in new project planning and operation.
We
also aspire to work beyond ANB Tokyo, tying up with corporations and governments to expand the
channels and platforms for for artistic activities. Aiming for an everyday life enriched by art
in the home or workplace, we propose ways for art to form part of your private space and time.
COLLABORATORS
OVERVIEW
- Name
- Tokyo Art Acceleration
- Founded
- November 26, 2019
- Representative Director
- Tetsuro Kouda
- Co-Representative
- Junya Yamamine
- Director
- Jungo Kanayama
- Director
- Takaya Shinozuka
- Address
- 2F ANB Tokyo, 5-2-4 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo