EXPOSITIONS PRÉCÉDENTES / PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS

The 24th France-Japan Multinational Contemporary Art Exhibition 2023

For ten days from August 10th to August 20th, Rooms 3A and 3B of the National Art Center, Tokyo, played host to the 24th France-Japan Multinational Contemporary Art Exhibition. The event, organized by the Japan International Artists Society, featured 517 wide-ranging works from the imaginations of 347 artists, including 247 Japanese artists and 100 from around the globe, with the majority heralding from France. The exhibition proved highly successful, offering Japan-based visitors the opportunity to experience the "now" of the French Salon.

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Despite the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers have driven the exhibition forward, powered by their belief in the power of art. This unwavering belief was rewarded in 2023 with a grand opening ceremony that included participants from France, marking the first time in four years that guests from outside Japan could be invited due to the relaxation of border restrictions.

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was celebratory with a palpable enthusiasm among the many artists and guests. Cultural advisor Mr. Charles-Henri BROSSEAU of the Embassy of France in Japan, President and President of Salon d'Automne Mr. Gilles GUILLAUME and Vice-President of Salon d'Automne Ms. Anne ROULANT, and Honorary President and Advisor of the Exhibition of Contemporary Art France-Japan, Mr. Jean-Marie ZACCHI, gave congratulatory speeches. Joining them were representatives from our sponsors, Dainihon-bijutsukogei Corporation, Maruman Corporation, and Seikatsunotomo-sha Bijutsu-no-mado, as well as Mr. ONO　Isao, the representative of the exhibiting artists, who participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Exhibition curators divided the exhibition area into 26 spaces that spread out from the entrance area. The spaces featured works by prominent French artists — including Mr. Jean-Marie ZACCHI — and exemplified motifs, techniques, captivating colors, and three-dimensional aesthetics typical in international art. Alongside these works, artists from Japan presented a wide array of vibrant contemporary Japanese art, including oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, traditional Japanese painting — both abstract and figurative styles — landscapes, calligraphy, ink art, paper cutting, craftsmanship, computer-generated art, and more. The diverse array of art on display was a testament to Japanese contemporary art's ingenuity and unique spirit.

As in previous years, the towering four-meter-high works at the far end of the exhibition hall enthralled guests with their abundant and expressive techniques, and the Espace privé or “private space” section, which has garnered significant praise in recent years for enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the artist's creative world, drew a substantial crowd. This year's exhibition also featured a wide range of works by artists from the field of architecture, including large and striking architectural models that stood out from a distance.

Staff gauged reaction to the exhibition by asking departing visitors for their impressions and received many appreciative comments such as: "I found it fascinating!" and "I had a wonderful time exploring the artworks." Some visitors expressed their intention to return during the exhibition's run, while others shared how inspiring they found the experience.

During the exhibition's second day, a panel comprised of Salon d'Automne President Mr. GUILLAUME, Vice-President Ms. ROULANT, and Mr. Jean-Marie ZACCHI held a Critique Session to offer succinct but enthusiastic appraisals of the works on display. Artists present for the session expressed a new-found motivation for their future creative pursuits, a discovery of new challenges to tackle, and inspiration from the diverse international perspectives that the panel shared.

Award ceremony

The opening day featured an Award Ceremony in the Center's auditorium in honor of the winners from the previous year's exhibitions. Around half of the award recipients were present at the event, each receiving a certificate of merit. In addition, the exhibition's sponsors generously awarded extra prizes to the winners of the 24th exhibition. Notably, those artists who earned the Bronze Prize and Honorable Mention at Le Salon 2023 received certificates and medals directly from the Honorary President of Le Salon, Jean-Marie ZACCHI.

Visitors could also watch broadcasts of recent domestic and international art shows and the Critique Session during the exhibition. And social media proved to be a further gauge of the event's success, with many delighted and appreciative comments from individuals both within and outside Japan.

Alongside comments on social media, visitors showed their generous support by donating 52,500 yen to support the "Project to buy art supplies for children who love painting in the city of Rikuzentakata." The project supports the city in Iwate Prefecture, which was hard hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Thanks to the guests' generosity, 150 sketchbooks were procured and delivered to the Rikuzentakata City Childcare Association.

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