The project’s first edition presents itself as a ‘Crossroads of Contemporary Art’, beginning a long-term collaboration between the two fairs
This September saw the launch of Connect, a new initiative jointly organised by Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai. With its first edition spanning two venues this year – Pacifico Yokohama during Tokyo Gendai (11-14 September 2025) and Terrada Art Complex in Tokyo during Tennoz Art Week (10-15 September) – the project presents itself as a ‘Crossroads of Contemporary Art’, and is framed as the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the two fairs; an ongoing partnership that’s intended to deepen exchange across Asian art scenes while building international visibility for participating galleries.
At Tokyo Gendai, Connect brought 11 galleries from Korea and China to the larger fair, which this year featured a total of 66 exhibitors. Their presentations were woven into all sections of the fair, from the main ‘Galleries’ to the ‘Eda Branch’, ‘Hana Flowers’, and the ‘Sato’ special exhibition section. Presentations here included Gallery Baton’s showcase of Contemporary Abstract Art including material-led works by Koh San Keum, and paintings by Suzanne Song and Jimok Choi. Gana Art’s exhibition, Six Ways of Seeing, put the work of Korean and international artists from across generations into dialogue with one another, and included such names as Shim Moon-seup, Huh Myoung Wook, Song Sumin, Adam Himebauch, and Andrew Moncrief. Meanwhile Johyun Gallery highlighted artists such as Lee Bae, Lee So Yeun and Park Seo-Bo, while the Sato section focused on Kim Taek Sang’s layered, candy-coloured pigment works, which reflect on ideas of fragility and time.
The Eda Branch section leaned more towards a more established generation of artists. PYO Gallery, for example, included Lee Kang So and Kim Tschang-Yeul, whose work was presented in dialogue with contemporary approaches to materiality. Columns Gallery showed Jung Jong Mee’s reinterpretations of classical poetry alongside artists such as Kim Kang Yong, Lee Dong Youb, Kwak Duck Jun and Lee Hyun Joung. An outlier in this section was Page Gallery, which dedicated its space entirely to Vio Choe, whose meticulously detailed compositions link scientific theory to painterly technique.
Emerging artists were platformed in the Hana Flowers section: EM Gallery presented Moonassi’s black-and-white ink figures and Cho Hwaran’s Alveolus series mapping breath and rhythm. Elsewhere in the section, THEO introduced Choi Wonkyo, whose practice turns photographs into sculptural installations that reflect on memory in the post-digital age, while VODA Gallery showed Im Jaehyoung’s meditations on grief and longing.
Connect also extended its collaborative network to Chinese galleries. At the Eda section, ShanghART Gallery presented Sun Xun’s animations, Liu Yi’s films that merge traditional ink painting and animation, and Hu Xiangcheng’s installations that are informed by his cross-cultural experiences. BANK exhibited, in the Hana section, works by DOKU (Lu Yang), Liang Hao, Michael Lin, Bony Ramirez and Wang Rui, whose practices revolve around the body as a vessel. Their inclusion suggests that the project is not limited to a Korea–Japan axis, but that it also looks to situate itself within a wider Asian context.
Running alongside the fair, Tennoz Contemporary at Terrada Art Complex offered a satellite exhibition designed to introduce six Korean galleries to Tokyo audiences. CONNECT in Tennoz Contemporary hosted Arario Gallery (which featured Japanese artist Yuki Saegusa’s dreamlike landscapes) with five of the fair galleries composed of EM Gallery (presenting Cho Hwaran and Moonassi), THEO (with a solo presentation of JEJn), Gallery Baton (showing thorny abstractions by Song Burnsoo – an important figure of the Korean avant-garde), GanaArt (showing Huh Myoung Wook’s layered canvases) and Johyun Gallery (which brought together Kim Hong Joo, Kim Taek Sang, and Lee Bae, whose diverse practices range from tactile brushwork to charcoal-based installations).
Seen together, the two venues embody Connect’s dual strategy. The fair in Yokohama situates Korean and Chinese galleries within the wider context of the international art market, while the Tokyo satellite exhibition aimed for intimacy and dialogue, embedding the practices of both artists and galleries within the rhythms of local art communities.
For the organisers, the collaboration between Art Busan and Tokyo Gendai carries significance beyond the practicalities of making an exhibition. Eri Takane, Director of Tokyo Gendai, describes it as ‘an important milestone in fostering cross-cultural exchange’, while Seokho Jeong, Director of Art Busan, frames it as a ‘sustainable model for collaboration and visibility for Asian galleries.’ As an official programme supported by Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS), Connect’s purpose is ‘to strengthen the global presence of Korean art fairs and galleries by expanding their international networks and enhancing their global branding.’
KAMS said in a statement: ‘Through this collaboration with Tokyo Gendai, we expect Art Busan to further solidify its brand presence in the Asian art market and to play a crucial role in building sustainable partnerships within the global art ecosystem. For Korean galleries and artists to expand their presence on larger international stages, meaningful global collaboration is essential. Many Korean galleries and artists are already engaging actively in international exchanges, and the forms of collaboration are becoming increasingly diverse. KAMS is committed to closely observing the evolving landscape of the global art market, listening to the needs of Korean art fairs and galleries, and continuing to design and support diverse programs that can facilitate vibrant international exchanges.’
As regional partnerships increasingly become important in the artworld, Connect’s inaugural edition places strong emphasis on dialogue, positioning itself not only as a showcase of artists and galleries, but also as a framework for collaboration across borders.
