Gallery's Picks for the Month （KIAF2024）

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City and Human

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This time, Art Front Gallery would like to introduce our booth with the theme "City and Human". The exhibition delves into the intricate relationship between urban landscapes and the human experience. Featuring the visionary works of Bunpei Kado, Nanae Mitobe, Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan, and Koichiro Azuma, this exhibition explores the multifaceted dynamics of city life and its impact on individuals and communities.

Bunpei Kado's creations highlight the instability and paradoxes within contemporary urban environments through his innovative use of familiar objects, transforming them into powerful symbols of urban life. Nanae Mitobe captures the essence of urban landscapes, illustrating the complex human emotions intertwined with city living. The collaborative works of Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan delve into themes of migration, community, and the transient nature of urban existence, offering a poignant commentary on the ever-changing urban milieu. Koichiro Azuma's art examines the intersection of urbanization and nature, reflecting on how human activities shape and are shaped by the urban environment.

Together, these artists provide a profound and diverse exploration of the "City and Human" theme, inviting viewers to reflect on their own interactions with the urban spaces they inhabit.

The selection of Bunpei Kado, Nanae Mitobe, Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan, and Koichiro Azuma for the Korea International Art Fair was driven by several key factors. Three of these artists recently participated in a group show in Gwangju, Korea, which concluded in July. Their involvement in this significant exhibition underscores their relevance and resonance within the Korean art scene. Furthermore, Bunpei Kado and Nanae Mitobe have upcoming solo shows and artist residencies in Korea, highlighting their ongoing engagement and presence in the country.

These four artists represent some of the most exciting and influential voices in contemporary art today. Their innovative approaches and compelling narratives make them highly appealing to both Korean and international collectors. By featuring them at the Korea International Art Fair, we aim to showcase the cutting-edge of contemporary art, offering collectors an opportunity to engage with the works of artists who are not only gaining prominence in Korea but are also making significant impacts on the global stage.

Moreover, the theme "City and Human" holds particular relevance to Korea, a nation characterized by its dynamic urban landscapes and rapidly evolving societal structures. The works of Kado, Mitobe, the Aquilizans, and Azuma provide profound insights into the complexities of urban life and human interactions within these environments, making them especially pertinent for the Korean audience. This theme, explored through the lens of these distinguished artists, will resonate deeply with both local and international collectors, fostering a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between cityscapes and human experiences.

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Bunpei Kado

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Born 1978 in Fukui. He creates sculptures by combining ordinary objects from everyday existence into unusual combination evoking fresh meanings.
Major exhibitions include Hyakunengo Art Festival (Chiba, Japan 2024), “Connectivity Construction” (Asia Culture Center（ACC）, Gwangju, South Korea, 2023), “Luo Shan Feng Art Festival” (Taiwan, 2023), Solo Exhibition “The Ark in Space” (Shibuya Hikarie, Tokyo, 2022), “SPACE SYMPHONY”(PARADISE ART SPACE, South Korea, 2022), Solo Exhibition “The garden / Secret room” (Art Front Gallery, Tokyo, 2021), “Roppongi Art Night” (Tokyo, 2019), 20th anniversary of Taro Okamoto museum special exhibition (Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, 2019), “Oku-Noto Triennale: SUZU” (Ishikawa, Japan, 2017), and “Setouchi International Art festival” (Kagawa, Japan, 2013) etc.
Major Projects include window displays (Hermès Milano, 2024, Italy, Hermès Kyoto Takashimaya, 2023 and 2024, Ginza Maison Hermès, 2023).
Upcoming Exhibition: Solo exhibition in Seoul, Korea in the spring of 2025 (TBD)

Bunpei Kado “Transmission Tower Bonsai #5” Iron, flowerpot, concrete, 65x50x38cm

Bunpei Kado “Sky Town” mixed media

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Nanae Mitobe

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Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Mitobe has been painting iconic figures such as Michael Jackson for some time, but a residency in the United States in 2014 led to the release of her “DEPTH” series, and in her solo exhibition at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art in 2016, she exhibited a nearly four meter long work in the center of the exhibition hall. In each case, she pursued the essence of painting through the theme of the face.
Major solo exhibitions include “People Have The Power“ (DIESEL ART GALLERY, Tokyo, 2024), “Sit-in” (agnès b. galerie boutique, Tokyo, 2023), “Green and Red” (GUCCI NAMIKI, Tokyo, 2023), “project N 85 Nanae Mitobe｜I am not an Object” (Tokyo Opera City, 2022) and “APMoA, ARCH vol.18 DEPTH – Dynamite” Pigment -” (Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan, 2016 ) etc.
Major group exhibitions include “A Personal View of Japanese Contemporary Art: Takahashi Ryutaro Collection”(Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, 2024), “OKETA COLLECTION: THE SIRIUS” (Spiral Garden, Tokyo, 2022), “VOCA Exhibition 2021” (Ueno Royal Museum of Art, 2021), “Abracadabra Painting Exhibition”(Ichihara Lakeside Museum of Art, Chiba, Japan, 2017) and “110 Billion Light Years Tunnel” (Musée Hamaguchi Yozo Yamasa Collection, Tokyo, 2017) etc.
Upcoming Exhibition: Solo exhibition in Seoul, Korea in November 2024 (TBD)

Nanae Mitobe “Indirect talk” oil paint and phone on canvas, 90x90x30cm, photo by Hayato Wakabayashi

Nanae Mitobe “Indirect talk” oil paint and phone on canvas, 90x90x30cm, photo by Hayato Wakabayashi

Nanae Mitobe “Trump's ears are like Van Gogh's” oil paint, canvas, 21x29.7x15 cm, photo by Hayato Wakabayashi

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Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan

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Originally from the Philippines and now based in Brisbane, Australia, are a collaborative duo whose art practice centers around themes of family, community, and relationships. Their work is rich with concepts of 'home' and 'belonging'.
Have participated in many international exhibitions including “Busan Biennale” (Busan, South Korea, 2019), “Gangwon International Biennale” (Gangwon-do, South Korea,2018 ), “Thailand Biennale” (Thailand, 2018), “Honolulu Biennial” (United States, 2017), “Setouchi Triennale” (Kagawa, Japan, 2016), “Sharjah Biennia” (USE, 2013), “Liverpool Biennale” (United Kingdom, 2010), “Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale” (Niigata, Japan, 2006), “Venice Biennale” (Italy, 2003), and “Asia-Pacific Biennale” (Brisbane, Australia, 1999) .
Major exhibitions include Solo Exhibition “Somewhere, Elsewhere, Nowhere”(Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MACAN)Jakarta, 2023), “Connectivity Construction” ( Asia Culture Center(ACC） , South Korea, 2023 ), “Luo Shan Feng Art Festival” (Taiwan, 2023), and Solo Exhibition “In Habitat: Project Another Country” (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan, 2013) etc.
Latest Project: First Major Public Art ‘Bound’ Unveiled at Sirius Sydney in Australia. ( open to the public from July 4, 2024)

Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan “Habitat(Circle)” cardboard, 120x121x11cm

Isabel & Alfredo Aquilizan “Vessel II” cardboard, wood, etc. 48x57x15cm

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Koichiro Azuma

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Born in 1998 in Tokyo. Currently enrolled with the Graduate School of Fine Arts Master's Program at Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. He creates moving sculpture by combining trash such as bicycle and metals. Received "MIYATA Ryohei award" and shortlisted for "the 24thTaro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art".
Major exhibitions include “Hyakunengo Art Festival (Chiba, Japan, 2024), “Connectivity Construction” ( Asia Culture Center(ACC） , South Korea, 2023 ), “Luo Shan Feng Art Festival” (Taiwan, 2023), Solo Exhibition “HANMA” (Art Front Gallery, Tokyo, 2023), Roppongi Art Night (Tokyo, 2022), OMIKA ART PROJECT (Ibaraki, Japan, 2022), “The 24th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art” (Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki, Japan, 2021) etc.
Current Project: Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2024 (Niigata, in Japan / through November 10, 2024)

Koichiro Azuma “3 wheels“ wheel, iron, 230x70x15cm