Mary Boone

Japan

I've had the good fortune to show a lot in Japan. Mostly in Tokyo, but I've shown in a number of other cities as well.  I think I've gone there seven or eight times.

Showing in Japan is great for lots of reasons, some of which have nothing to do with art per se. I think the thing that fascinates me the most is dealing with people from an entirely different culture and mindset. It's extremely challenging, as well as enlightening.

The art business there is very different than in America. As real estate is extremely expensive, there are very few galleries that exclusively show an established stable of artists. Nearly all the galleries are rentals and the artists deal with middlemen. Actually, the most prestigious galleries are in the major department stores.

The company I was working with could get me into department store galleries; but all sales went through the department store, and the department store controlled the list of clients. That wouldn't be true of my shows in the rental spaces, but in both instances (either due to the lack of control of the client list, or the constantly changing of location) every show was like it was my first show. It was nearly impossible to make a foundation and build on it. Eventually, I came to see it as being a waste of precious time, which could be better invested elsewhere.

On what was to be my final trip, I met Bob and Yoko in Okinawa. Bob is an American businessman; Yoko is his wife. She owns and is the director of the most beautiful gallery I've ever had the pleasure of showing in. The gallery is aptly called "Garden Museum Sora" as it has a traditional Japanese garden, complete with waterfall, just outside the window.

So for the last handful of years, I have invested nearly all of my energy into the art worlds of two tiny islands on opposite sides of the planet. They are as different as night and day.

Manhattan is, well, Manhattan. I need not waste space here, preaching to the choir on that front.

Okinawa has zero history of fine art galleries. Sora is the first. Showing there is much like being a castaway on the tropical island it is. With little or no art business tradition, there is little or nothing in the way of concepts coming back at you from the people. It has a kind of hometown or villagy feel about it: small and among friends. You get to know the people as people rather than as clients. Status is a non-issue. The feeling is very pure, new and unspoiled. It is certainly not about making a lot of money.

Honestly, I don't know what it is about, or where it is going. I just know I like being a part of it, and have no plans to stop.

Tim Folzenlogen
MB Modern, March 2001