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Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai Announce Collaborative Project CONNECT
Tokyo Gendai
September 11–14, 2025
Pacifico Yokohama
Galleries: Johyun Gallery, Gana Art, Gallery Baton, The Columns Gallery, EM Gallery, THEO, VODA Gallery, BANK, The Page Gallery, ShanghART, PYO Gallery
Tennoz Contemporary
September 10–15, 2025
Terrada Art Complex
Artists: Kim Hongjoo, Lee Bae, Kim Taek Sang, Song Burnsoo, Huh Myoung Wook, Moonassi, Cho Hwaran, JEJn
Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai are pleased to announce further details of their partnership with the unveiling of participating galleries and programming in Tokyo and Yokohama during the second week of September. The debut of this collaboration introduces nine Korean galleries and two Chinese galleries from the wider region who will present at Tokyo Gendai and the Terrada Art Complex.
The collaborative project, titled CONNECT, is themed “Crossroads of Contemporary Art” and is composed of two sections; a main program presented at Tokyo Gendai, and a satellite program showcased at the Terrada Art Complex, Tokyo. The project incorporates a breadth of cultural activations including joint talks programs with Asian art fair directors, engaging audiences across Korean and Japanese platforms.
As part of this year’s collaboration, nine leading Korean galleries and two Chinese Galleries will participate in Tokyo Gendai 2025. Bringing together an international roster of galleries, and presenting an exceptional program of talks, installations, special events and activations within and beyond the fairgrounds, Tokyo Gendai is an occasion for the global art community to explore new perspectives and immerse themselves in Japan’s extraordinary creative landscape. The galleries presenting as part of this year’s collaboration between Tokyo Gendai and Art Busan showcase a dynamic array of established and emerging artists across disciplines—from painting and sculpture to new media and conceptual practices.
• Galleries: Johyun Gallery, Gana Art, Gallery Baton, The Columns Gallery
• Hana “Flower”: EM Gallery, THEO, VODA Gallery, BANK
• Eda “Branch”: The Page Gallery, ShanghART, PYO Gallery
• Sato: Johyun Gallery
In addition to presentations within the fair space, a collaborative exhibition program will present six participating galleries at the Terrada Art Complex in Tokyo. The program is a co-curated collaborative program designed to harmonize the distinct voices of Korean and Japanese artists from across the region, placing their practices into a wider dialogue. The program takes place during TENNOZ ART WEEK, at the place where the most established galleries in Japan and emerging galleries across the city will join the special initiative.
SONG BURN SOO, Possibility 024-EII, 2024, object painting, 45.5 x 38 x 4.5 cm (left), and Possibility 022-KI, 2022, object painting, 100 x 80 x 8.5 cm (right). Courtesy Gallery Baton, Seoul.
The program will feature six leading Korean galleries, showcasing a compelling roster of established and emerging artists who explore identity, material memory, perception, and the emotional undercurrents of contemporary life. Presented in the exhibition is Kim Hongjoo, Lee Bae, Kim Taek Sang (Johyun Gallery), Song Burnsoo (Gallery Baton), Huh Myoung Wook (Gana Art), Moonassi and Cho Hwaran (EM Gallery), JEJn (THEO), and Yuki Saegusa (Arario Gallery).
Imbuing the dialogue, directors from art fairs in Asia—Eri Takane from Tokyo Gendai, Seokho Jeong from Art Busan and Shuyin Yang from ART SG—would gather for a talk session to discuss collaborative ways to expand interactions across regions. The session “Art Fair in Asia” will be on the 14th within the fair venue in Yokohama Pacifico.
Since the beginning of 2025, Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai have worked together to develop a shared curatorial and institutional framework that activates mobility, visibility, and collaboration for Asian galleries. The two institutional partnerships are supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Arts Management Service. They aim to cultivate sustainable regional exchange and promote the international visibility of Korean contemporary art. Future initiatives include reciprocal gallery presentations at Art Busan 2026 and further expansion of the East Asian regional art network.
CHO HWARAN, Pulmonary Alveolus 13, 2025, oil on canvas, 130 x 97 cm. Courtesy EM Gallery, Seoul (left). JEJN, Monument Cast Special ED, 2025, bronze (ed.20), 15 x 14 x 33 cm. Courtesy THEO, Seoul/Jakarta (right).
“The partnership between Tokyo Gendai and Art Busan represents an important milestone in fostering cross-cultural exchange between two exceptionally dynamic contemporary art scenes; we are proud to be creating a platform for meaningful discourse about the future of art in the wider region. Through CONNECT, we are looking forward to oEering our audiences the chance to engage with a vibrant range of artists and creative practices this September.”
—Eri Takane, Director, Tokyo Gendai
“The partnership with Tokyo Gendai reinforces our mission to foster deeper regional collaboration. We are proud to launch CONNECT and present Korean and Asian galleries on the global stage through meaningful platforms like Tokyo Gendai and Terrada Art Complex. The presentation at Terrada Art Complex perfectly embodies the spirit of cross-cultural dialogue we aim to champion. It is more than an exhibition—it’s a statement of shared vision across borders.”
—Seokho Jeong, Director, Art Busan
Art Busan
May 21–24, 2026
BEXCO, Busan, Korea
www.artbusan.com
