Exhibition Title : icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY 2023
Dates : 2023/09/15 - 2023/09/18
Hours : 12:00-21:00
Place : AXIS
Project : icon
Exhibiting Artists : Tomohide Ikeya / Akiko Isobe / Ouka Ueno / Shinitirou Uchikura / Yumiko Utsu / Eiji Oohashi / Ryo Ohwada / Kei Okano / Kumi Oguro / Masato Kanazawa / Mika Kan / Ryota Kikuchi / Kana Kuwasako / Kyoki Ogura / Mami Kosemura / Akira Gomi / Misuzu shibuya / Yuji Suzaki / Moeko Suzuki / Yuji Takano / Kouichiro Takesue / Toru Tanno / Yukari Chikura / Kiyotaka Tsurisaki / Tomomichiu Nakamura / Nananano / Yuma Nishimura / Isao Hashinoki / Kenji Hirasawa / Tsubasa Fujikura / Rieko Honma / Hidekazu Maiyama / Kikuna Mishima / Izuru Mizutani / Muga Miyahara / Yuya Muto / Jiro Yabuzaki / Yu Yamauchi / Ayaka Yamamoto / Ryuhei Yokoyama / ARISAK / Hajime Kinoko / HASEO / Kentaro Takahashi / Masumi Shiohara / Michael Hitoshi / PHOTOGRAPHER HAL / RASIKI / SOLENE BALLESTA / Zohre MihaSTATEMENT :
Currently, commercial galleries specializing in contemporary art such as PACE Gallery and GAGOSIAN in the West have a roster of several dozen photographers who are recognized as artists. Similarly, a few exceptional photographers have emerged in Asian countries like China and Korea. However, in Japan, there is a situation where the value of photography as an art form is lowly regarded, resulting in a general decline in the status of photographers. This issue is not solely the responsibility of the artists; it also encompasses challenges within the market as a whole, including the audience.
Artists have a responsibility to create artworks with artistic value and assign appropriate prices that align with their worth, while actively seeking ways for the audience to purchase their works with confidence. It is crucial for artists to receive fair compensation, enabling them to focus on their next creative endeavors. Similarly, the audience should go beyond mere appreciation and consider owning artworks as one of their choices, developing a deep understanding of the value of the pieces. By actively engaging with and supporting the art photography market, the audience plays an immensely important role in driving its vitality, growth, and in promoting recognition for both artists and their works.
Our goal at ” icon ” is to stimulate a mutual exchange between artists and the audience, revitalizing the Japanese art photography market and elevating it to a global level. Following last year’s success, ” icon” will continue to boldly challenge by hosting the ” icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTO EXHIBITION ” this year, aiming to enhance the value of Japanese art photography.