Unlike many art fairs, where artists are represented by galleries and rarely present, Artists’ Fair Kyoto allows you to meet the creators themselves. Now in its ninth edition, the event provides a platform for emerging artists to launch their careers and engage directly with collectors and the public.
This year, 40 emerging artists from Japan and abroad will exhibit at the historical Meiji Kotokan building at the Kyoto National Museum, with works spanning multiple genres from paintings and video art to sculptures and installations.
A distinctive feature of the fair is its inclusive selection process. Artists are chosen by an advisory board of leading Japanese artists including Izumi Kato, Kohei Nawa, Sasaoka Yuriko and Kenji Yanobe. There’s also a public application process to ensure a broad yet carefully curated line-up.
Artists’ Fair Kyoto is complemented by the AFK Resonance fringe exhibition, held at Tofukuji Temple from February 21 to March 1. The discounted ¥2,000 Free Pass is now available online until 11.59pm on February 20, and it grants access to all AFK venues. After this date, only venue-specific tickets are sold: ¥1,800 for the main exhibition at Kyoto National Museum, and ¥1,000 for AFK Resonance at Tofukuji Temple.
Running alongside the abovementioned main events are a series of satellite shows at some of Kyoto’s most art-friendly venues, including the Thousand Kyoto Hotel and the Tsutaya Books in Kyoto Takashimaya SC. These exhibitions are free and open to the public.