[Mécénat Writer Report] Vol.1 Asatsu-DK “ADK Art Gallery Collaborated by TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY”
[Mécénat Writer Report]
Company Mécénat Interview
~Cultural and Art Facility~
Vol.1 Asatsu-DK
“ADK Art Gallery Collaborated by TOMIO KOYAMA GALLERY”
Mécénat Writer: Izumi Amada
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<What is “Mécénat Writer”?>
Freelance writers will make visits and interview members of Mécénat as a “Mécénat Writer”. Reporting topics include visits to company’s cultural and art facilities, interviews with newly participated members, or Mécénat activities on topic. Mécénat Writer Report series will message ideas and visions by members in charge of the activities, with fresh and diverse perspectives of the writers outside the membership.
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Once inside the entrance, an art piece displayed at the art gallery catches your eyes.
Shown now is “Prism double diamonds” by Satoshi Ohno.
Asatsu-DK Inc. relocated its head office to 13th~15th floor of Toranomon Hills at Minato-ku in 2014. In the same year, they newly arranged an Art Gallery next to the entrance on the 13th floor, showing original art works by spirited artists.
Each artists actually visit this office to create an original artwork according to the theme; “POWER OF ACTION” which ADK holds as one of its company mission. Works are changed almost annually to introduce fresh artists, creating a platform to encourage their challenge.
The colors reflect on the mirrored base, making you feel as if being drawn into another scope.
The Place Where Artist Prompt the Society
The interviews are with ADK Creative Director/Art Director Mutsumi Ajichi, ADK General Manager of Corporate Communication Kaori Nakajima, Tomio Koyama who runs a contemporary art gallery, and Kinya Atsukawa who also runs an art gallery.
◎ADK Kaori Nakajima
―― This office has a concept called “Power Idea Camp”, a camp-like office where all kinds of people gather to stimulate each other and give birth to new ideas. Likewise, this gallery close to the entrance was designed to follow this concept to inspire those who come across here by seeing the art works.
◎ADK Mutsumi Ajichi
―― Our company’s type of business is to suggest our clients to make changes in consumer’s attitude or actions. We hope to share this idea to shift our minds to a different place than before with our visitors and employees also, through these art pieces.
◎Tomio Koyama
―― Showing their work at a kind of place where so many types of people visit has a different meaning for the artists, compared to the usual shows at galleries or museums. It is not enough for artists to just create what they desire, so in that means also it is good for them to challenge in a place where you can get buffeted in the society.
◎Kinya Atsukawa
―― In advance to outputting their work ideas, artists are asked to visit this office and be attended to why the works are shown at an office. This unique process sounds different to the usual artist activities.
◎ADK Mutsumi Ajichi
―― We always look forward to seeing how the artists savor and understand our company’s theme. How they make their pieces, and their way of interpretation always stimulates me with new findings.
“Power of Action –Mythology of Beans” by Satoshi Hirose, exhibited in 2014.
Beans and nuts representing vital energy are sank into acrylic cube.
Used documents with ADK logo printed on can also be seen, crumpled in a ball.
”Our” Art Piece
◎ADK Kaori Nakajima
―― “Rabbit House” which we had in 2015, was virtually a little house located within the office, surprised everyone who visited us and caught many people’s interest.
Our employees had a lively conversation with their clients about the art work too, explaining about the art work and so on.
◎Tomio Koyama
―― It is very good idea to place art pieces at work places and schools like this. Foliage plants for example, are popular at these places. It would be wonderful to see art pieces like that too. You can change positions or shuffle them around in a casual way as you do with plants.
◎Kinya Atsukawa
―― What is great is that you have art pieces at where you work. It is not just about buying them and display on the wall, but you see them at the gallery space for the whole year. And that creates the feeling of attachment, the feeling of “our art piece”, which is something I like very much. I think contemporary art has good compatibility for this.
“Red mirror closet I, II”, Midori Sato, 2016
This piece is placed in front of the meeting room after its show in the gallery. “Red” is the corporate color of ADK.
“Rabbit House”. Shintaro Miyake, 2015
A piece with impact. You can enter the House, or sit on the stool around it. Which gave a good topic with the visitors.
From left: Mutsumi Ajichi (ADK Creative Director/ Art Director), Kinya Atsukawa (Galerie NUAGE), Tomio Koyama (Tomio Koyama Gallery)
＊After the interview＊
At the entrance space, a representative area of the company, is where ADK Gallery is located. I was attracted to this open “site” where everyone can get in touch with contemporary art in a natural way. Whether in the morning, midday, or at night, would probably change how the art piece would look, and your condition along with your feeling on a moment-to-moment basis would change how you feel towards it too. It would be wonderful to know how this office will keep changing, with growing numbers of unique art works created every year. (Amada)
◎Date of interview: 8th February 2018
◎Place visited: Asatsu-DK Inc. ADK Art Gallery
[Mori Tower, Toranomon Hills, 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo]