ART WEEK TOKYO COLLATERAL EVENTS
Augment your Art Week Tokyo experience by dropping in to a champagne bar, checking out a special architecture exhibit, or hearing some of the world’s leading thinkers and curators speak on topics ranging from plant intelligence to art history.
RUINART AT AWT FOCUS
Ruinart, the jewel of champagne and a longtime supporter of the arts, maintains an active presence at Art Week Tokyo. This year sees the launch of the Ruinart Bar at AWT Focus, accompanied by a special exhibit on the newly unveiled Nicolas Ruinart Pavilion in Reims.
The Ruinart Bar
Okura Museum of Art Patio
November 5–10, 10am–6pm
Special Exhibit: The Nicolas Ruinart Pavilion
Okura Museum of Art B1
November 5–10, 10am–6pm
On November 5, architect Sou Fujimoto will be present at the AWT Focus Opening Ceremony, starting at 9am, and the AWT Focus Opening Reception, starting at 6pm, to speak about his design of the pavilion.
IHJ CULTURAL LOBBY INTERDISCIPLINARY TALKS SERIES
The International House of Japan has spearheaded intellectual dialogue, policy research, and cultural exchange in Tokyo for more than 70 years. I-House will host two special editions of the IHJ Cultural Lobby Interdisciplinary Talks series in commemoration of Art Week Tokyo.
November 5, 4–5:30pm—The Japanese Garden and the World of Plants: The Intelligence of Plants and the Philosophy of Gardening
Neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso and landscape architect Chisao Shigemori discuss the environmental sensing of plants and the aesthetics of Japanese garden design in a conversation moderated by curator Yuko Hasegawa. First 50 slots free; admission 3,000 yen thereafter.
November 6, 10:30–11:30am—Information and Culture Strategies and Architecture Towards the Future: An Asia-Pacific Perspective
Leading architect Kengo Kuma speaks with James Kondo, the chairman of I-House and a tech expert who has served as a senior advisor to Open AI, about the role of art and design in the world of tomorrow, moderated by curator Yuko Hasegawa. First 50 slots free; admission 3,000 yen thereafter.
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NACT AND M+ SYMPOSIUM
The National Art Center, Tokyo, and M+, Hong Kong, are partnering on a landmark survey exhibition, “Japanese Contemporary Art and the World, 1989–2010,” opening at NACT in 2025. This symposium brings together some of the world’s leading curators to discuss how Japanese contemporary art has been presented in a global context in recent decades.
November 8, 3–6pm—How Has Japanese Contemporary Art Changed Since 1989
Kathy Halbreich, independent curator and former associate director of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, delivers the keynote lecture, followed by presentations by Yukie Kamiya, Pi Li, and Isabella Tam, with greetings by Eriko Osaka on behalf of NACT and Doryun Chong on behalf of M+. Admission free. More