Tokyo Art Byte Critique

Posted by on Oct 14, 2014 in Creative Events, Discussions, Network
Tokyo Art Byte Critique

When I was walking around the Tokyo Art Book Fair (B), I came across a booth run by a group called Art Byte Critique (B).

They gave me a hand out about their collective mentioning that they were open to all artists interested. Gatherings were held in small groups at about a once a month pace to share ideas and critiques on projects. Yes! This was a collective of artists that were serious about their work, and this was the kind of group support that I wanted to get myself involved in. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait for time to pass so that I could talk about art with other like-minded artists.

To be notified about gatherings, you first need to sign up for their email list via contacting them through the Art Byte Critique website (B). Meetings are generally hosted once a month around Ebisu on a Tuesday, but this can change time to time depending on the gathered group. If you are on their mailing list they will email you when and where the gathering is coming up. When you receive that email, sign up quick because they only have 8 slots per gathering to keep discussions intimate enough.

On the day I went, the gathering was held at Cafe Park (J) in Ebisu. If you’re not sure which table, just look for a group that looks internationally diverse. Everybody ordered foods and drinks before starting and the atmosphere of the discussion was casual.

ArtByteCritique1Each person took about 10-15 minutes to introduce themselves, talk about their artwork in progress, announce exhibitions they were part of, and get feed back on ideas. Some people had serious research materials with print outs of detailed analysis charts, some people showed their actual physical work, some people explained things through images on their tablet devices, and some did not have anything visual but just talked about the process and concepts they were working on. The conversation was held in English throughout the whole meeting.

Artist medium and types varied from conceptual, digital, embroidery, yarn, painting, drawing, videos, sculpture, design, etc.
It was definitely a boost of inspiration to see other people’s projects and have good discussions. Everyone was open to exchanging ideas on resources, showing in galleries, working in residencies, and also extending their artworks into commercial applications.

The collective was an encouraging community to be part of, and I would definitely recommend any artists to attend if looking for a good support system in Tokyo.

 

Art Byte Critique  B
Art Byte is an artist collective that holds monthly discussions. They host opportunities for artists to critique each others work, share resources, and support each-others creative efforts.