Art Fair Tokyo 2020 was announced to be cancelled on March 4, 2020.
Art Fair Tokyo
Art Fair Tokyo (ART FAIR TOKYO) is one of Japan’s largest art festivals.
Now in its 15th edition in 2020, this art event is a marketplace where various galleries from Japan and abroad sell their art works to the general public.
The number of visitors to Art Fair Tokyo has been increasing year after year, and the general admission fee this year is 5,000 yen.
I was able to receive an AFT Card again this time.
Last year’s Art Fair Tokyo is summarized in the article below, please refer to it.
What Is the AFT Card?
The AFT CARD is a special ticket that admits the holder, plus one companion, to all programs at Art Fair Tokyo. It’s also commonly known as the “VIP Card.”
With the AFT Card, you can enter the “Private View” and “Vernissage” the day before the opening, which are not accessible with regular tickets. Note that as shown below, there are two types of cards: one that grants entry from “Private View” onward, and another that grants entry only from Vernissage onward.
AFT CARD Benefits
An ID number is printed on the back of the AFT Card.
Access the official website via the URL in the QR code and register personally as a “VIP Member.” If you already have a registered ID from before 2019, simply enter your ID number after logging in.
Once successfully logged in, you’ll be taken to the screen below, where you can view the various benefits.
It seems to be structured so that VIPs can access more information than the general public, such as artwork lists.
I’ve summarized the AFT CARD benefits below. With so much included, it’s really a great deal!
AFT CARD 2020 Benefits
- Entry to all sessions including the Private View (holder plus one companion, up to 2 people)
*Cards marked “4pm-8pm” on the front are for entry from the Vernissage onward. - AFT CARD holder-exclusive artworks: On the “Artworks” page of the official site, holders can view works available only to AFT CARD holders. Purchase prices are also shown to holders on the artwork detail page. *For some works, prices are undisclosed.
- Entry to “ART in PARK HOTEL TOKYO 2020” (holder plus one companion, up to 2 people)
- Access to AFT CARD holder-exclusive artworks on the “Art Work” section of the official site. Site launch: from late January, with items added sequentially thereafter.
- Free entry and other privileges at partner museums: Presenting your AFT CARD grants free entry at 15 museums.
Also, benefits are available at partner museums including The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and The National Art Center, Tokyo — 17 in Tokyo, 1 in Gunma, and 2 in Kanagawa. Benefits at Pola Museum of Art and Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery start in January. - Use of Roppongi Hills Club. *Benefit period: Sunday, March 1 – Tuesday, March 31. Up to 6 people including the cardholder can use it.
- Use of the “TERRADA Premium Lounge” at the Art Fair Tokyo venue. Thursday, March 19 – Sunday, March 22 (holder plus one companion, up to 2 people). Thursday, March 19 – Sunday, March 22.
Museums with Free Entry
One of the most attractive benefits of the AFT Card is the museum privileges.
*Each museum with free entry has its own designated period. Please check the details on the page after logging in as a VIP.
List of Museums with Free Entry
- Pola Museum of Art: Sunday, December 15, 2019 – Sunday, April 5, 2020 “Surrealism and Painting — Dalí, Ernst and the Japanese Surrealism” free entry *Up to 1 companion
- Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery: Saturday, January 11 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “Kazuo Shiraga” exhibition free entry *Cardholder only
- The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma: Saturday, February 8 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “The World of Myths in Modern Western Art” free entry *Up to 1 companion *Up to 1 companion
- Idemitsu Museum of Arts: Tuesday, February 11 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “The Kano School — Eyes and Hands That Dominated the Painting World” *Up to 1 companion
- Yokohama Museum of Art: Saturday, February 15 – Sunday, May 24, 2020 “Kiichi Sumikawa: Sori and Mukuri” exhibition free entry *Up to 1 companion
- Toguri Museum of Art: Sunday, March 1 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “The Joy and Beauty of Ko-Imari Forms II” exhibition free entry *Up to 1 companion
- Hara Museum of Contemporary Art: Sunday, March 1 – Tuesday, March 31, 2020 “Yasumasa Morimura: EGO OBSCURA TOKYO 2020 – In the Wilderness of Nippon” free entry *Up to 1 companion
- The Ueno Royal Museum: Thursday, March 12 – Monday, March 30, 2020 “VOCA 2020 — Vision of Contemporary Art: New Artists in Two-Dimensional Works” free entry *Cardholder only
- Tokyo Station Gallery: “Barcelona: A Miraculous City of Art” exhibition free entry *Cardholder only
- Tokyo National Museum: Thursday, March 19 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “Cherry Blossom Viewing at the Museum” exhibition free entry *Up to 1 companion
- The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo: “MOMAT Collection” exhibition and the small feature “Noboru Kitawaki: Seeing the Cosmos in a Single Seed” *Up to 1 companion
- Mori Art Museum: Thursday, March 19 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 “Future and the Arts: AI, Robotics, Cities, Life — How Humanity Will Live Tomorrow” *Cardholder only
- Archi-Depot Museum: Thursday, March 19 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 special exhibition free entry *Up to 1 companion
- Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum: Period: Saturday, July 18 – Friday, October 9, 2020 “Walls & Bridges: Touching the World, Living the World” exhibition free entry *Up to 1 companion
In addition to the above, there are also several museums offering discounted entry.
How Do You Get an AFT Card?
The AFT Card is packed with benefits, but unfortunately, it’s not available for sale to the general public.
It comes in the form of an invitation passed on by galleries that exhibit at the fair or by people in the art industry.
Building good relationships with people in the industry is the current path to obtaining one. It’s certainly something you’d want to get your hands on!
Overview
Art Fair Tokyo 2020
Venue: Tokyo International Forum Hall E / Lobby Gallery
Dates: Thursday, March 19 to Sunday, March 22, 2020, 4 days (last admission 30 minutes before closing each day)
Press View: Thursday, March 19, 13:00-14:00
Private View: Thursday, March 19, 14:00-16:00
Vernissage: Thursday, March 19, 16:00-20:00
Public View: Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, 11:00-20:00; Sunday, March 22, 11:00-17:00
Admission: Advance / 1-DAY passport 4,000 yen (incl. tax); Same-day / 1-DAY passport 5,000 yen (incl. tax) *Elementary school children and younger enter free when accompanied by an adult
Official website: https://artfairtokyo.com/
