We are pleased to announce a portion of our programming for our 2025 edition, opening this September.
The new programming strands introduced in 2025 help to further champion creativity and to encourage cross-cultural exchange. The programs include a new artist prize to support emerging talent, a special exhibit on Japanese craft by women artists, and a curators’ symposium to encourage creative exchange.
Hana Artist Award fosters emerging artists
New for 2025, the Hana Artist Award will be awarded to an outstanding artist participating in the Hana ‘Flower’ sector, dedicated to solo or multiple presentations of artists at an early-or mid-stage in their career.
With a mission to foster emerging creative talent, the Hana Artist Award will consist of a cash award of USD 10,000 and special recognition at the fair.
An international jury consisting of leading curators and thinkers, including Miwako Tezuka, PhD (Director, Dib Bangkok), will meet at Tokyo Gendai to consider the work of all artists exhibiting at the sector.
The recipient of the award will be announced at a ceremony on Saturday 13 September 2025.
Special exhibit Tsubomi ‘Flower Bud’ of Japanese women artists employing craft techniques
Returning for its third edition, this year’s Tsubomi ‘Flower Bud’ explores the work of a curated selection of Japanese women artists employing traditional craft techniques, and the significance of artisanal practices in the contemporary art discourse.
Japanese crafts are handed down through generations by master artisans, but women masters have historically received less recognition both locally and internationally. This special showcase will spotlight the varied and fascinating output of Japanese women artists working with craft techniques, as these practices continue to hold a greater influence within the contemporary art scene across the world.
Featuring a selection of artists at different stages of their careers including ceramics by Namika Nakai (TARO NASU) and glass work by Ritsue Mishima (ShugoArts), the works for Tsubomi ‘Flower Bud’ are chosen by Fair Director Eri Takane in collaboration with Mari Hashimoto, Cultural Manager/Curatorial Producer, and Director of the Preparatory Office for Kankitsuzan Museum of the Enoura Observatory, founded by Hiroshi Sugimoto and opening in 2027.
Curatorial symposium brings together international and Japanese curators
As part of the fair’s mission to further nurture the local art scene and to help provide a platform for the art community, a curatorial symposium will be held at Tokyo Gendai for the first time.
Gathering international and Japanese curators, this day of in-depth conversations will be a crucial new forum for the discussion of current debates around curatorial concepts and practices. Addressing a range of themes and topics, the symposium is a meeting point between the Japanese and international art worlds, sparking new conversations and cross-cultural exchange.
Stay tuned for more details
Further details will be announced in the coming months. Subscribe to our newsletter below to receive the latest updates.
