After nearly thirty years, what do you think defines Sadie Coles HQ today?
Curiosity. I would hope that people recognise that over our three decades the gallery has continued to reenergise. We keep our eyes open for art that is actively engaging the zeitgeist and reflecting the changes, challenges and possibilities of our world. Culture is always evolving, it is never static, and I want to stay receptive. The function of the internet has been to make global conversations an enticing reality, and that has dynamically encouraged our programme to evolve.
‘Japan is a cultural gift that never stops giving’
Over the years many wonderful artists have had long-standing relationships with the gallery, and have developed their practice through their work with the gallery. What shapes your approach to working with artists?
Longevity and listening is the principle. We try to offer a collaborative relationship that is open, reliable, and responsive, and artists rightly expect their gallery partner to be honest, pragmatic and productive in the strategic creation of opportunity and measured exposure. We aim to be as present as possible, to know what the artist wants and then work together to achieve it.
You have exhibited at Tokyo Gendai since the first edition in 2023, and Sadie Coles HQ has long collaborated with Japanese artists and the local scene. What draws you to Japan, and what keeps you coming back?
Japan is a cultural gift that never stops giving, and the attraction began when I first visited Japan as an 18 year old student. In the nineties I worked for a gallery who had Japanese clients.
When senior director John O’Doherty joined Sadie Coles HQ, his experience and fluency in Japanese gave us the opportunity to build thoughtful conversations with artists, galleries, museums and collectors. This dialogue has been key in the steady development of relationships that allow us not only to present our programme at Tokyo Gendai but also to look at artists in Japan, to learn from galleries and museums, and have nuanced ideas about dynamic and fruitful cross collaboration. It is a year-round interaction of depth and consistency, and it feels authentic and full of potential.
Can you give us a brief preview of your presentation at Tokyo Gendai 2026 and what you hope visitors will be able to discover?
We approach any fair thinking about the specific audience. At Tokyo Gendai we want to give a taste of the history of the gallery by bringing some artists who are a key part of its identity, like Sarah Lucas or Matthew Barney, alongside carefully selected new positions that we believe will make connections with the specific cultural history and current developments in Japanese art. The intention is to start conversations, to make new relationships.
Do you have a favourite spot in Japan?
Tokyo Station; the possibilities for exploration are endless. And any Japanese convenience store for onigiri, green tea and Pocari Sweat: essential.
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with us. We look forward to experiencing your presentation at Tokyo Gendai this September.
Experience Sadie Coles’s Spirit of Curiosity at Tokyo Gendai
Dates:
11-13 September 2026 (Fri-Sun) *Vernissage: 10 September (Thu)
Venue:
Pacifico Yokohama
Booth:
Sadie Coles HQ
Ticket Purchase:
