A trendsetting place for living and art in the coming era

2021.12.02

BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-

A new gallery, BAG-Brillia Art Gallery- opened in Kyobashi, Tokyo.
The opening commemorative exhibition, HERALBONY/Starting from Zero, is held until January 23, 2022.

 

I interviewed with Masayuki Okubo (Tokyo Tatemono, committed to establishing the gallery), Takaya Matsuda (Representative of Director of HERALBONY and Hiroaki Sakamoto, Chokoku-No-Mori Art Foundation, who produces the exhibitions held within the gallery, about BAG-Brillia Art Gallery and HERALBONY exhibition.

Naturally born BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-

Power of art is essential to manufacturing

  • Masayuki Okubo, Managing Officer and Head of Housing Business Planning Department, Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd.

  • Hiroaki Sakamoto, Environmental Arts, Business Promotion Department, Chokoku-no-Mori Art Foundation

– How did you come to open BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-?

 

Okubo As a company that creates things and provides services, we have long believed that art has the power to enrich people’s lives. For this reason, we have always wanted to be involved in art in some way. Since 2018, we have been holding the Brillia Art Award, an open exhibition with the aim of supporting young artists. We have also been actively involved in cultural and artistic activities, such as working on art for Hareza Ikebukuro, a large-scale complex that opened in 2020.
On the other hand, I was worried about how much interest our employees had in this activity. To be honest, I was worried that they might not be that interested. So, this year, we asked for opinions on Brillia Art Award, and the response was much bigger than we expected. Although there were some negative opinions, such as “I don’t like this piece,” I was reminded that art, including likes and dislikes, can move and inspire people’s hearts.

 

Out of nowhere, we heard that we could use the current Tokyo Tatemono Kyobashi Building in Kyobashi. Given the history up to that point, we all agreed that it would be best to turn it into a gallery befitting Kyobashi, the town of art. It feels like the momentum for culture and art-related activities that had been gradually growing all over the place just naturally combined and took shape.

 

Sakamoto We have had a relationship with Takaya and Fumito Matsuda, the representatives of HERALBONY, whom we asked to handle the opening exhibition of BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-, for some time, having asked them to do art for Tokyo Tatemono’s temporary enclosure and having exhibited reproductions of paintings in the guest salon of their apartment building this year. So, with almost no consideration, we decided to ask HERALBONY to handle the opening exhibition of BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-. Everyone thought they were the best.

 

Matsuda At HERALBONY, we aim to create a society where people with disabilities can adapt to their individuality, and we work to turn their art into products and send them out into the world. Two years ago, through a startup support project sponsored by the Tokyo metropolitan government, we raised our hand to say, “We want to work with Tokyo Tatemono,” and became involved. We never expected to be given the important role of opening BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-… we feel humbled, but also very happy and grateful.

 

Great things are great

We aim to create a society where art made by artists with disabilities is not considered special.

  • Takaya Matsuda, CEO, HERALBONY Co., Ltd.

– Why did you want to work with Tokyo Tatemono?

 

Matsuda We have an autistic brother who is four years older. Since we were children, we have wondered why people would say that he was pitiful. People with disabilities have the same feelings and live their daily lives just like normal people. So, we decided to see disabilities as characteristics and communicate their value to society. One way of doing this is to turn colorful works, mainly by artists with intellectual disabilities, into products and sell them.
In the past, people with disabilities were proactive in their efforts to be freed from social oppression, such as going to the Diet in wheelchairs to collect signatures, which ultimately led to the passage of new laws. However, these activities were mainly carried out by people with disabilities themselves and their families, which in some ways deepened their division with society. We aim for a society where people with disabilities can get along more naturally, not a black-and-white society. We want to make it so that, through the filter of art, people can simply say, “This is wonderful,” or “This is cool,” and that it just so happens to be an artist with a disability. As part of this activity, we are currently working on an interior design business.

 

By incorporating art by artists with disabilities into everyday life, and even into offices, restaurants, and accommodation facilities, we want to make disabilities more familiar to people. Just as the Arts and Crafts movement once popularized arts and crafts, I hope that one day HERALBONY will help create a world where art by artists with disabilities is a part of everyday life. That’s why we really wanted to collaborate with Tokyo Tatemono, but we never expected to receive the cooperation of the Chokoku-No-Nori Art Foundation and participate in such a big project, which is like a dream.

 

Sakamoto In an elementary school composition, Fumio, the middle child, expressed his discomfort and sadness at the fact that his brother was looked at in a special way by those around him, asking “Why is this the case when we’re the same kind of person?” and Takaya, the youngest child, made a video about his brother when he was a university student. From these, I feel that the Matsuda brothers truly have an unbiased view of people with disabilities. That’s why they have the sensibility to see wonderful things are wonderful beyond the barriers of disability. This is art that only they could have discovered, which I feel there is great potential.

 

Okubo We were also impressed by HERALBONY’s activities. They don’t hypocritically evaluate art by people with disabilities, but rather send out what they think is good. I think this is a sustainable activity appropriate for the current era.

 

Pursuing initial impulse

Thoughts on Starting from Zero

– What thoughts are put into the theme of Starting from Zero?

 

Sakamoto One is that it reflects Tokyo Tatemono’s determination to use BAG-Brillia Art Gallery- as a starting point to disseminate new information on the theme of life and art. Another is that this project is not only an exhibition featuring art by artists with disabilities, but also the Matsuda brothers, who are the origins of HERALBONY and the source of their creativity. We thought that only by knowing the zero point at which HERALBONY was born could people empathize with the fact that art by artists with disabilities was full of sustainable diversity, and that this would be able to express the guidelines for the direction Tokyo Tatemono is aiming for.

 

Matsuda To be honest, we were a bit perplexed when we first heard about this project (lol). We ourselves were not the type to show ourselves in public. However, Sakamoto and his team told me that it would be better to pursue the initial impulse, and I thought that was very important. In fact, by looking back what zero meant from which HERALBONY was born and rereading my brother’s diary, we were able to clarify my thoughts and guidelines when we started this project.

 

Okubo When we actually started, the reaction from the public was very good, and we have been covered by many media outlets. On the other hand, I was interested in ow our employees feel about it. There are many ways for companies to be involved with art, such as collecting art and holding art exhibitions, sponsoring artists, and supporting their activities, or using it as part of corporate branding. I am personally very interested in the idea that art can cultivate employees’ thinking skills. We hope that by witnessing how art products are changing the world, the visitors’ way of thinking about craftsmanship will be sharpened.

 

Matsuda In fact, many employees of Tokyo Tatemono have already come to the exhibition. Thankfully, many people buy our goods because they want to give them as souvenirs for their customers.

 

Sakamoto That is very meaningful as a corporate art initiative. When employees buy goods and bring them to customers, they become storytellers who convey the company’s guidelines, and it also gives employees a sense of pride that they work for such a creative company.

 

Okubo HERALBONY’s works are not only topical, but also have the power to attract people with their unique originality.

 

Life and Art from Kyobashi

What is the future of art in the new era?

– What kind of events are planned at BAG-Brillia Art Gallery- in the future?

 

Matsuda HERALBONY/Starting from Zero exhibition is held until January 23rd. After that, we are planning a second HERALBONY exhibition from February that focuses on Life and Art. We would like to suggest how art can be incorporated into daily life through fabrics such as cushions and sofas.

 

Okubo The concept of BAG-Brillia Art Gallery- is life and art. Kyobashi is lined with small galleries, art galleries, and antique shops that date back to the Edo period, making it a place where life and art truly blend together. We feel that it has an affinity with our concept. As it’s particularly conveniently located at the entrance to the pedestrian precinct, we would like to develop it into a place where people can casually drop in when they have a little free time.

 

Sakamoto As you know, Kyobashi is known as a mecca for manufacturing and art. So, we would like to work together with Tokyo Tatemono to come up with a project that is unique to them while taking advantage of its characteristics.
In fact, I feel that the art world is also undergoing a major transformation through the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past, visitors experienced the extraordinary and sharpen their sensibilities. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed our values from normal to the new normal. In the current society, how should art be? This is a major challenge facing both artists and us.

 

Okubo In that sense, we believe that the concept of life and art will be a key hook in the coming age. We hope to continue to spread Tokyo Tatemono’s philosophy from here in Kyobashi.

 

BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-

Organizer: Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd.
Planning cooperation: HERALBONY Co., Ltd.
Planning supervision: Chokoku-no-Mori Art Foundation
Planning management: Quaras Inc.
Website: https://www.brillia-art.com/bag/exhibition/01.html
BAG-Brillia Art Gallery-: https://www.brillia-art.com/bag/

INFORMATION

Site

BAG-Brillia Art Gallery- (3-6-18 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku)

Period

HERALBONY/Starting from Zero Friday, October 15, 2021, to Sunday, January 23, 2022