[Bur@rt Diary] Toward the Opening of the Collector Exhibition "Collectors' Collective"

The Burart Diary, updated at irregular intervals. It is a casual, journal-style article recounting the site’s editor’s everyday thoughts and passing observations.
This time it is an article that includes an announcement of a collector exhibition in which the author is involved.

Collector Exhibition

We will be holding a collector exhibition from the end of 2019 into the start of 2020.
It is a project that I had long been contemplating together with fellow collectors, and it has come to be realized with the cooperation of a gallery and participating artists.
The title, “Collectors’ Collective,” means a group of collectors. This first edition is a curated exhibition by three collectors, including the author.

The Circle of Collectors

Through art collecting, my circle of fellow collectors has widened.
Connections have come about through exchanges on social media, through gallerists introducing us at exhibition openings, and through the artists themselves in our collections. The routes have been varied, but I have been able to meet many collectors.

In Japan’s art collecting scene, where the flow of information is limited, connections between collectors offer valuable exchanges of information and allow us to speak in a common language — I feel these are people whose values are closer to my own than even family or friends.
In the course of repeated art conversations with such fellow collectors, we came to talk about wanting “to convey the joy of art collecting more widely.” And through connections with younger art students and artists, I have always felt “I want more people to know this artist’s work” and “they should be more highly regarded.” These feelings are the driving force behind holding this exhibition.

General Collectors

The three of us are general collectors, far from what would be called big collectors.
We are nowhere near the level of collections such as the “OKETA COLLECTION” exhibition held in April 2019, which featured top-class famous works. We are ordinary collectors who carefully advance our collections within a limited budget. Though we lack financial power, we frequently visit exhibitions, and above all we hold deep affection for the works we purchase.

The two collectors joining me are as follows.

・Participating collectors *3 people
HIRO (@sh_art_collector)
Yorito Maseki (@sander_inazuma)
art on Editor-in-Chief, Mahiro Kobayashi (@burart_jp)

HIRO is a collector who shares his viewing records and collected works via Instagram.
He maintains very gentlemanly relationships with galleries, and I have great respect for his ability to collect popular works and his passionate approach to art.

Yorito Maseki is a collector who disseminates art information mainly through Twitter, with a distinctive collecting philosophy and strong convictions.
While his gentle character and expressions are impressive, so too is the sharp gaze he brings to works and the principled approach he takes to art — a wonderful collector.

Collectors’ Collective

The collector exhibition “Collectors’ Collective” that we have planned is composed of two projects. *Among ourselves we call it the “Kore-Kore” exhibition.
One is a project in which we three exhibit “works we collected in 2019,” while at the same time exhibiting and selling new works by the exhibiting artists.
The other is a project in which we each invite artists whose “work we would like to collect in 2020!” to exhibit and sell new works. *Contrary to the spirit of the project’s direction, we the organizers do not hold any priority purchase rights.

The director of MEDEL GALLERY SHU, the gallery on the second floor of the Imperial Hotel Plaza that will host the exhibition, has kindly understood the plan, provided the venue, and taken on the overall operation of the exhibition.

Participating Artists

We plan to have 15 participating artists in this exhibition.
Given the size of the gallery space, we are having quite a large number of artists take part.
It may end up being an exhibition with a lot of information to take in, but this show places its emphasis less on staging an atmospheric spatial experience and more on the pleasure of collecting and on introducing artists. We have asked participating artists to bring signature works.

Artists collected in 2019

• Shunsuke Ochi
• Kurumi Kotani
• Masataka Sato
• Genshou Sugawara
• Shozo Taniguchi
• Yuma Tomiyasu
• Takanosuke Yasui
• Atsuko Yamashita
• Shohei Yamamoto
• Yuasa Eboshi

Artists we would like to collect in 2020

• Yusuke Kikkawa
• Erika Sato
• Tomomi Taoka
• Bell Nakai
• Nanae Mitobe

Events

Since this is such a special occasion, we are also considering some collector-oriented events where possible.

One is to invite a Tokyo picture-framer to give a talk on framing. *Planned for January 11, 2020
We are also planning to create opportunities for collectors to network (a get-together event). *Details being finalized

We are also considering ways we might support younger artists as well.

Summary

Because MEDEL GALLERY SHU is affiliated with the Imperial Hotel’s commercial facility, it stays open throughout the year-end and New Year period without closure.
We would be delighted if you would come by.

Note: the collectors have no involvement whatsoever with the proceeds from works sold in this exhibition, though we believe many will share the spirit of this show. This time is designated as “Collectors’ Collective 1,” with a second edition planned for July 2020.

For the second edition, the baton will be passed from us to the next set of collectors.

Overview

Buyable! Art Collector Exhibition “Collectors’ Collective”
Works collected in 2019 by three art collectors, and artists they want to buy from in 2020

・Venue: MEDEL GALLERY SHU (Hibiya) *2nd floor of the Imperial Hotel Plaza
・Dates: December 27, 2019 (Fri) – January 12, 2020 (Sun) *Open every day during the exhibition
・Participating artists (in Japanese alphabetical order): Shunsuke Ochi, Yusuke Kikkawa, Kurumi Kotani, Erika Sato, Masataka Sato, Genshou Sugawara, Tomomi Taoka, Shozo Taniguchi, Yuma Tomiyasu, Bell Nakai, Nanae Mitobe, Takanosuke Yasui, Atsuko Yamashita, Shohei Yamamoto, Yuasa Eboshi
・Planning cooperation: art on

【Related Event】
“Framing Changes Everything — A Deeper Talk (tentative)” *
Talk guest: Owner of a Tokyo framing shop, and others
Date and time: January 11, 2020 (Sat), 13:00–14:00 *Schedule subject to change.