Front Runners #8: Megumi Tsuchiya

The next Front Runner is Megumi Tsuchiya, an independent art professional.  Completing her MA degree at Sotheby’s Institute of Art as the first Japanese in its history of of the Master Course in Art Business, she is currently based in London and has contributed for many galleries and projects in Austria, Germany, Japan and the UK.  Megumi always works with great appreciation to artists and respect to the uniqueness of each artist.

Megumi has made a great contribution to the Japan Matsuri 2009 as the artistic advisor of Exhibition project.

フロントランナー８人目はロンドンを拠点にアートディーラー、そしてキュレーターとして活躍していらっしゃる土屋めぐみさんです。土屋さんはサザビーズ・インスティテュート・オブ・アート（世界的に有名なサザビーズが運営する教育機関）において、日本人として初めてアートビジネス専攻での修士号を取得されました。作品だけでなくアーティスト一人ひとりの個性に向き合い、尊敬を持ってお仕事をなさる土屋さんはアーティストの強い味方です。

なお、土屋めぐみさんには2009年のジャパン祭りにおいて、エキシビション部門のアドバイザーとしてご協力いただいております。

Museum der Wahrnehmung Graz, Feb 2008

Message:
As the artistic advisor to the Art Exhibition in the Japan Matsuri - London Japan Festival September 2009, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks to all the competition staff and the artists who submitted work to this competition. Fourteen pieces of art have been selected by online public voting and will be on display at the Japan Matsuri Art Exhibition in Spitalfields. Artists have in their own way found inspiration in Japanese fairy tales and interpreted their own impressions of Japan; thus creating new imaginary worlds, intrinsically linked to the old stories of Japan.

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What does Matsuri mean to me:
Matsuri itself provides various mental, physical and pictorial memories from childhood, from the warmth of parents’and friends’ hands, greetings between people, the sound of Japanese flutes and drums, the sweet smell of watagashi and savory Octopus and Squid, the crowd on the paths etc. Although everyone grows up and the world is forever changing, these memories remain in our heart and are the core of our spirits. Matsuri is a power, giving us (back to) an eternal spirit, enabling the link between the old and new, people and locality, and the transient time with an eternal space in our mind.

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Commissioned Porject Mortimer Street, London, Feb. 2009

My work in the UK:
My work as an art advisor include organizing and curating several art exhibitions in Austria and Germany, and being involved in some projects in London. I moved to London from Vienna a few years ago to study and live in this, one of the world’s main cities of the art market. I’ve completed my studies and feel fortunate to be in London, where I’m developing my career in a direction to organize exhibitions with Japanese artists.
During the 1980s (the bubble years), some Japanese business people, (‘economic animals’) bought precious artworks (especially Impressionist paintings) at auctions in London and New York. This created the unfortunate image that the Japanese were getting involved in art for all the wrong reasons.
As a contrast, Japanese artists - the new ‘Murakami-generation’ - are now seriously creative and well respected in their own right. Whenever I come across this new work, I feel excited for the future of the artists.

Groups of serious artists are emerging and are getting more established both in Japan and in the West. In the near future, Japanese artists will be seen in London and starting to speak up. Eventually their names and works will be as well-known and recognized and respected as their contemporaries in Europe. It is in this emerging art market that I see my involvement.

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Megumi Tsuchiya | 土屋 めぐみ

Independent Art Professional
Hometown-Tokyo

2002-2005 BA in History of Art/Visual Culture in Vienna
2006-2008 MA in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London
2002-2009 Work for galleries in London, Tokyo, Vienna and
Projects in London

“Front Runners” is a special project to introduce Japanese people who are leading their generation in their unique sector in the UK. Find out more from here.