The art fairs Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai have worked together to showcase leading Korean and Chinese galleries in the Japanese capital. As part of the collaboration, titled Connect, nine Korean and two Chinese galleries took part in this year’s edition of Tokyo Gendai, which took place 11-14 September at the Pacifico Yokohama convention centre to the south of the city.
The project aims to support mobility and collaboration for East Asian galleries, to cultivate sustainable cultural exchange, and to promote the international visibility of Korean contemporary art. The partnership is supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS).
“The partnership between Tokyo Gendai and Art Busan represents an important milestone in fostering cross-cultural exchange between two exceptionally dynamic contemporary art scenes,” says Eri Takane, the director of Tokyo Gendai. “We are proud to be creating a platform for meaningful discourse about the future of art in the wider region.”
Gana Art's presentation at Tokyo Gendai © Art Busan, Photo by Yuma Nishimura
According to director Kim Seung Yeon of the Visual Arts Division at KAMS, “In this support program, our main focus has been not only on strengthening the global branding of Korean art fairs, but also on exploring how Korean galleries and artworks can be effectively introduced to the international art market. The planning capacity and execution ability of the fair organiser are critical in this regard. Art Busan demonstrated meticulous planning and close collaboration with Tokyo Gendai throughout the preparation process, which was highly impressive.”
The Connect project showcased a dynamic array of established and emerging galleries throughout various sectors. Johyun Gallery, Gana Art, Gallery Baton and The Columns Gallery participated in the Galleries sector; The Page Gallery, ShanghART, PYO Gallery in the Eda Branch sector; and EM Gallery, THEO, VODA Gallery and BANK joined Hana Flower sector. The installation exhibition sector, Sato, presented Kim Taek Sang from Johyun Gallery.
As well as the presentations in the fair, six Korean galleries took part in a collaborative exhibition programme at the Terrada Art Complex in Tokyo, during Tennoz Art Week (10-15 September). The programme was designed to bring the distinct voices of Korea and Japan into dialogue and featured the work of artists Kim Hongjoo, Lee Bae, Kim Taek Sang, Song Burnsoo, Huh Myoung Wook, Moonassi, Hwaran Cho, JEJn and Yuki Saegusa.
Seokho Jeong, director of Art Busan (centre) in conversation with Eri Takane, director of Tokoyo Gendai (left), and Shuyin Yang, director of ArtSG in Singapore (right) © Art Busan, Photo by Yuma Nishimura
“The presentation at Terrada Art Complex perfectly embodied the spirit of cross-cultural dialogue we aim to champion,” said Seokho Jeong, the director of Art Busan. “It is more than an exhibition—it’s a statement of shared vision across borders.”
Jeong and Takane also joined in a talk with Shuyin Yang, director of the Art SG fair in Singapore, to discuss collaborative ways to expand interactions across the region.
This year’s third edition of Tokyo Gendai was moved to September, from its previous slot in July. The next Art Busan, its 16th edition, will take place in May 2026, and will continue the cross-cultural exchange initiative of the Connect project.
