Press

Art Collaboration Kyoto will take place from November 1-3, 2024
in the Kyoto International Conference Center
　

(Kyoto, Japan, September 10, 2024) – Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) announces further details for the 2024 edition, including ACK Curates, a series of programs organized by ACK under this year’s theme set by ACK Program Director Yukako Yamashita; highlights for its Public Program exhibition in the main venue; dynamic conversation topics and leading panel participants for ACK Talks; enriching, participatory events hosted through the ACK Kids’ Programs, tethered to ACK’s mission of cultivating the future of the art world within Japan and beyond; Special Programs hosted in collaboration with partner companies, special projects and exhibitions held around Kyoto City in the fair’s Associated Programs; and the Open Call Programs, featuring new projects by artists, curators and local arts venues and partially subsidized by ACK. ACK puts culture forward and transcends the boundaries of the fair by supporting and activating the local arts community. Art Collaboration Kyoto will take place from November 1 to 3, 2024, with a VIP preview day on October 31, in the Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC Kyoto). During ACK, there will be a number of special exhibitions taking place at unique historical venues in Kyoto City, including projects by leading contemporary artists Lucas Arruda, Andreas Erikkson, and Izumi Kato + Bosco Sodi. Local galleries will present exhibitions and late-night programming during ACK, creating a city-wide celebration of the arts.
　

This year, ACK Curates will feature its Public Program, ACK Talks, and Kids’ Programs under the theme “Resilience—for your own happiness” set by Yukako Yamashita. Exploring the vital elements of survival in today’s complex society and the enduring human spirit within Kyoto’s traditional culture, festivals, and craftsmanship, the curatorial theme acts as a common thread throughout art and talks programs to promote thought and discussion.
　

Yukako Yamashita, ACK’s Program Director, said, “Through this year’s theme ‘Resilience—for your own happiness’, ACK Curates will present artworks and discourse celebrating the preservation and evolution of cultural traditions, expression, and shared values. In our current age of great complexity and rapid growth of information sharing, ACK proposes new ideas for finding happiness and value for ourselves amidst an uncertain future.”

Public Program
ACK’s Public Program exhibition will survey works selected by Arts Collective, a Hong Kong-based curating platform founded by André Chan and Chin-Yin Chong. Responding to the fair’s curatorial theme “Resilience—for your own happiness”, the exhibition – titled “What the map doesn’t say” – examines ideas of impermanence, movement, and progress in our rapidly changing world. The Public Program will feature works by Naiza Khan, Maria Nepomuceno, Anri Sala, Tomás Saraceno, Wong Ping, and more.
　

André Chan and Chin-Yin Chong, Guest Curators of the ACK Public Program, said, “Impermanence arises because we exist in a constantly changing world, where movement and flux are ever-present. Progress in society is largely driven by movements of people who have the resilience and desire to make impactful changes and challenge the status quo. For ACK’s Public Program, we wanted to present artworks that embody these ideas and showcase the innumerable ways that movement can manifest in art.”
　

For additional information on the Public Program, please visit
https://a-c-k.jp/en/ack-curates/public-program/.

ACK Talks
ACK will host ACK Talks, a diverse series of conversations featuring artists and industry leaders, exploring themes of resilience and recovery. ACK Talks further reinforces the strength of Kyoto’s art and culture community through the inclusion of key local and global players in the art world. As of August 2024, this year’s lineup features 22 panelists from 12 cities across 11 countries; speakers include Raku Jikinyu (Ceramic Artist); Tadashi Kawamata (Artist); Takatoshi Nishiwaki (Governor of Kyoto Prefecture); René Redzepi (Founder, Head Chef and Co-Owner of noma); Tomás Saraceno (Artist); Justine Alexandria Tek (Director of Yuz Museum Shanghai and Yuz Foundation); and more.

Highlights will include ‘Preserving Art for the Future: The Possibilities of Collections’, a discussion exploring the fundamental role of art collections in shaping contemporary culture featuring panelists Nathalie Baume, Christoph Noe, Takafumi Takahashi, and Justine Alexandria Tek; an Online Artist Talk with Tomás Saraceno, moderated by Andrew Russeth; and ‘The Diversity of Art and Sustainability’ featuring Chef René Redzepi, of renowned restaurant noma.

Date: Thursday, October 31 – Sunday, November 3
Venue: ICC Kyoto New Hall and online
Admission: Free for ACK ticket holders

For program details, please visit https://a-c-k.jp/en/talks/.

ACK Kids’ Programs
Committed to bettering the future of the art world, the fair will also host ACK Kids’ Programs at ICC Kyoto, dedicated to community enrichment and development. Programs include guided tours of the fair and artist workshops focused on the acts of “Seeing” and “Making” art. ACK Kids’ Programs are free of charge, and bilingual childcare services will be available to visitors with children 7 years or younger.
　
For further details and advanced registration, please visit https://a-c-k.jp/en/for-kids/.

Special Programs
ACK is pleased to partner with Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. as its lead partner for the fourth time in the 2024 edition of the fair. Special Programs will be held in collaboration with partner companies within the ICC Kyoto, providing visitors with an opportunity to learn about multi-layered interpretations of art. This year features a diverse lineup of projects by the six participating partner companies. A new work by Shiori Watanabe will be presented in collaboration with Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co., Ltd. and their Ladder Project, which aims to support the next generation of artists, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) will present Kogei Café in partnership with YUGEN, a Japanese tea store in Kyoto, using tableware from the MUFG KOGEI Project, which supports the transmission of craft culture and techniques based on the concepts of tradition and innovation. Furthermore, works by artists such as Takahiro Iwasaki will be showcased in collaboration with Takashimaya Company, Limited; an exhibition will be held with Hakko L.R. Co., Ltd. that integrates art and cars; and with main media partner Hearst, exploring the fusion of art and fashion by Harper’s BAZAAR art. Champagne Pommery, the official champagne partner of ACK, will also present works by the “Pommery Prize Kyoto 2024” finalists, an award for supporting young artists based in Kyoto, which was started on the occasion of ACK last year.
　

Programs include:

　
Special Programs will take place in the New Hall of the ICC Kyoto unless otherwise specified.
For additional information on ACK’s Special Programs, please visit
https://a-c-k.jp/en/special-programs/.

Associated Programs
In addition to its presentations within ICC Kyoto and online, the fair will extend into the streets of Kyoto through ACK’s Associated Programs, further enriching the local community and exemplifying cultural experiences unique to Kyoto’s contemporary art scene. The Associated Programs are comprised of Special Exhibitions supported by partner companies and Open Call Programs chosen and supported by ACK. This year’s Special Exhibition is a video and sculpture installation by Japanese artist Shota Yamauchi at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art in collaboration with pure gold craftmakers, SGC; and the Open Call Programs include concurrent solo exhibitions by He Xiangyu organized by Hattori Shoji Corporation Artro and SCAI The Bathhouse; ‘Dolly’, an exhibition of new works by artist Genki Isayama at hakari contemporary; and more.
　
　

Special Exhibition
　

Open Call Programs
　

Night Out:
ACK organizes ACK Nishijin Murasakino Art Night with the cooperation of Gekkeikan, one of Japan’s leading sake makers, and also plans off-site nighttime events in cooperation with local businesses and art spaces.
　

ACK Nishijin Murasakino Art Night
Dates and Hours: Wednesday, October 30, 4 – 7 pm
Venues: Atelier Mitsushima, Kanegae, Mori Yu Gallery, Oscaar Mouligne, Seishodo THE ROOM and more
Admission: Free unless otherwise specified
Special Partner: Gekkeikan
　
For additional information on ACK’s Associated Programs, including Special Exhibitions and Open Call Programs, please visit
https://a-c-k.jp/en/associated-programs/.

ACK Bonded Status

The fourth edition of Art Collaboration Kyoto will welcome 69 galleries from across the globe, including 33 exhibitors from outside Japan. From 2022 to 2023, Art Collaboration Kyoto obtained bonded status, allowing international exhibitors to be exempt from the 10% sales tax that otherwise would have been imposed pre-sale. The fair has reapplied for bonded status for its 2024 edition in November.
　
For the full list of participating galleries, please visit https://a-c-k.jp/en/exhibitors/.
　

Sponsors and Partners

Notes to Editors

About Art Collaboration Kyoto
Art Collaboration Kyoto is a culture-forward contemporary art fair held in Kyoto with collaboration at its core. One of the leading art fairs in Japan specializing in contemporary art, Art Collaboration Kyoto presents unique collaborations forged between Japanese and international galleries; government and private sectors; and fine arts and other cultural spheres in Kyoto. Hosted in the Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC Kyoto), the fair consists of two sections: “Gallery Collaborations”, which pairs a Japan-based gallery with its international peer in a shared booth; and “Kyoto Meetings”, which features presentations with distinct connections to Kyoto. In addition, ACK Curates will feature its Public Program, talks series, and family programs. Beyond the fair, special exhibitions are held in Kyoto City through the ACK Open Call Programs, along with other partner exhibitions.
　

Art Collaboration Kyoto is organized by the ACK Executive Committee, which includes the Kyoto Prefecture; Association for the Promotion of Contemporary Art in Japan; Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon; Culture Vision Japan Foundation Inc.; Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and the Kyoto Convention and Visitors Bureau. The fair is presented with support from The Cabinet Office, Government of Japan in the fiscal 2024, The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan in the fiscal 2024, and Japan Tourism Agency, Unique Experience in Japan 2024 in cooperation with JETRO Kyoto, Kyoto City, The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan Association of New Economy, and The Kyoto Shimbun.
　

The fair is located at the Kyoto International Conference Center (Takaragaike, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City) and others. For more information, please visit a-c-k.jp.
　

2024 Dates
Preview (by invitation only): Thursday, October 31, 2024
Public opening dates: Friday, November 1, 2024 – Sunday, November 3, 2024
　

Tickets
Tickets will be available online from Tuesday, September 10. Tickets include an original tote bag created in collaboration with an artist, and either a one-day pass for Kyoto City Subway or a one-day pass for the Kyoto City Subway & buses. For more details, please visit https://a-c-k.jp/en/tickets/.
　

About Yukako Yamashita, ACK Program Director
Yukako Yamashita was born in Tokyo in 1988 to a family that runs a tea ceremony utensils business in Kyoto. In 2022, she was appointed Program Director of Art Collaboration Kyoto and Kyoto City Growth Strategy Promotion Advisor. Prior to this, she was the managing director of THE CLUB (2017-2022) and held positions at Sotheby’s Japan and London.
　

About Arts Collective, ACK 2024’s Guest Curators of the Public Program
Co-founded by curators André Chan and Chin-Yin Chong in 2018, Arts Collective is a curating platform based in Hong Kong. The collective’s practice resides in the intersection of contemporary art, cultural influences, and interdisciplinary connections. They were selected for the Emerging Curators Project at the Power Station of Art, Shanghai in 2018.

Chin-Yin Chong has previously worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, and Hong Kong Arts Centre, as well as has experiences in galleries and various art projects in the Asian region. Working collectively and independently, Chong’s recent research explores artistic practices, transdisciplinary exchanges, and collaborations. Chong was a curator-in-residence for the Delfina Foundation’s summer 2022 season.

André Chan’s curatorial work focuses on artists’ engagement with contemporary urban issues. His recent research is on video games made by artists and exploring the fallacies within the modern tech world. Chan was selected for the Emerging Curators program by Para Site in Hong Kong in 2018, and has been recognized for his curatorial work through exhibitions and performances in various cities and institutions.

Selection Committee
Axel Dibie, Galerie Crèvecœur (Paris)
Yoshiaki Inoue, Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery (Osaka)
Tomio Koyama, Tomio Koyama Gallery (Tokyo)
Yuichi Mori, Mori Yu Gallery (Kyoto)
Jeffrey Rosen, Misako & Rosen (Tokyo)
Shelly Wu, TKG+ (Taipei)
Yuko Yamamoto, Anomaly (Tokyo)

Spatial Design by Takashi Suo
The venue layout for this year’s ACK has been redesigned from previous editions by architect and designer Takashi Suo, unifying the Gallery Collaboration and Kyoto Meeting booths with a unique and cohesive design.

Media Contacts
FITZ & CO | Sarah St. Amand | sstamand@fitzandco.com
Art Collaboration Kyoto | Yoshiko Nawa and Rasa Tsuda | press@a-c-k.jp