The TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR (TABF) launched in 2009 as Japan’s first book-fair dedicated to art publications. 2019 signals the 10th year of our Fair, and for this year’s event we will be relocating to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo – newly reopened from renovations last spring. The Fair serves as a point of convergence for approximately 300 different local and international exhibitors of unique art books and ZINES – publishers, galleries, artists, and more – who use the fair as a platform to portray the allure of their publications.

Like in years past, this year’s Fair will be home to a number of special events and exhibitions. Unfolding in the museum’s special exhibition room on the second basement floor, the Fair’s various undertakings provide a multifaceted look into the richness of the world of publications. Among such events are the Guest Country exhibitions and talk program – first initiated in 2015 as a project delving into the publication culture within a certain region. This year’s Guest Country in particular will be focusing attention on the United States. Other events include the Japanese Artists’ Books: Then and Now exhibition featuring artists’ books and interviews by notable Japanese creators; exhibitions and special programs by the Shiseido Gallery, revisiting on their 100 years of history by way of their past exhibition catalogues; talk shows featuring special guests; book signings by artists, and more. Through such events, it is hope that our faircomers are able to witness firsthand the ever-evolving world of art books for themselves.

Preview: Friday, July 12, 2019 / 3:00 PM ~ 9:00 PM

Main Fair Period: Saturday, July 13 – Monday*, July 15, 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM each day.

*Monday is a national holiday in Japan.

Venue: MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TOKYO (Toyo 7-3-5, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan)

Admission: Free (※1,000 yen entrance fee for opening reception on 12th, free for children under 12)

*Certain talk events may require entrance fee

Exhibition Area:

Venue: MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TOKYO, Special Exhibition Room B2F

Organized by: Tokyo Art Book Fair Foundation, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TOKYO

Exhibitor Booth Area:

Venue: MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TOKYO, Entrance Hall and other areas

Organized by: Tokyo Art Book Fair Foundation,

Special assistance provided by: Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TOKYO

TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR started in 2009; the first book fair in Japan to specialize in art publications.

Held annually, it gathers independent publishers, gallery presses, bookshops as well as individual artists and groups. The fair has seen constant growth in its scale and content over the years, and the event now gathers more than 350 participants from Japan and abroad and attracts more than 20,000 visitors every year.

At the fair, visitors can communicate with and buy publications directly from hundreds of publishers and artists who create unique and innovative art publications; they can also enjoy various events including special exhibitions, talks/panel discussions and film screenings. As the biggest of its kind in Asia, TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR aims to champion and lead art publishing culture in the region, and create the ideal opportunity for visitors to experience the ever evolving, vibrant arena of arts publishing.

It is an event where participants (organizations, companies, individuals and groups) who work in the field of art set up a booth to present their own publications; where they can communicate and trade with the visitors directly. The participants vary from individual artists and designers to art publishers, galleries and bookshops. It is a rare and ideal opportunity for visitors to find thousands of rich and varied artistic expressions in book form, which are often more affordable and larger in edition than other forms of art.

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