Daikanyama Photo Fair 2018
I visited “Daikanyama Photo Fair 2018,” an art fair for the photography world. The venue was Hillside Forum in Daikanyama.
“Daikanyama Photo Fair 2018” is an event organized by the Fine-Art Photography Association. It began in 2014, and this was its fifth iteration. In addition to domestic galleries, bookstores, and publishers, a variety of exhibitors from both Japan and overseas took part.
There were also works using intriguing photographic techniques. One was the daguerreotype, a process that uses a silver-plated sheet as the light-sensitive material.
Sales Booths
Booths were divided by gallery, and the photobook sales area was especially bustling.
There seemed to be plenty of hidden gems on offer, and the space was full of buyers.
Venue-exclusive special editions and limited-edition works by artists such as Yoshitomo Nara and Ayaka Yamamoto were also planned and sold on site.
Collection Exhibition
Another venue hosted a collection exhibition featuring four artists.
The four were Risaku Suzuki, Takashi Homma, Yoshitomo Nara, and “Designer I” (identity unknown).
Each of their collected works was on display, giving us the chance to encounter many wonderful pieces.
That said, the true identity of “I” was intriguing. When I asked one of the organizers, they told me it was “a fictitious designer from the 1970s.” Can any of you guess who?
Summary
For camera enthusiasts and photography fans, this must be a prime opportunity. I purchased several works myself, and there were many collectors on hand — I witnessed several actual sales in progress.
On the other hand, the venue’s space limited the fair to a relatively small scale, which seemed to be a bottleneck. With a larger venue, one could imagine spaces for photographers and viewers to interact, larger display areas for the works, and programs that make it easier for students to participate — the fair could be pushed toward wider and livelier engagement.
The admission fee also felt slightly on the expensive side.
In an era in which smartphones have brought photography ever closer to everyday life, young photographers keep emerging and attracting attention. I look forward to initiatives that can further elevate photography as an art form.
Overview
Dates: September 28 (Fri) – 30 (Sun), 2018
Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 (until 17:00 on the final day)
Venue: Daikanyama Hillside Forum, Hillside Plaza
Admission: General 1,500 yen / Students 1,000 yen
Organizer: Fine-Art Photography Association
Sponsors: JINS Inc., Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. Guardian Garden, Shiseido Co., Ltd., Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Brooklyn Brewery, Primus Co., Ltd.
Cooperation / Support: Embassy of France in Japan / Institut français du Japon, Daikanyama Shotenkai, On the Hill General Incorporated Association, Hillside Terrace, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Media Partner: IMA
Participating Galleries: EMON PHOTO GALLERY, G/P gallery, hiromiyoshii, MAHO KUBOTA GALLERY, MEM, nap gallery, PGI, Taka Ishii Gallery, Taka Ishii Gallery Photography / Film, twelvebooks, Yuka Tsuruno Gallery, Yutaka Kikutake Gallery, ZEN FOTO GALLERY, and about 30 galleries in total.
