Tokyo probably has more photo fans than any megalopolis on the planet, but strangely there's never been an international photography art fair here — until now. Tokyo Photo 2009, running Sept. 4-6, offers still photography artworks for sale from 12 Japan-based galleries, four from the United States and one from Hong Kong. Over 100 artists are represented, including world-famous figures like Edward Weston, Annie Leibovitz and Helmut Newton, as well as celebrated Japanese photographers such as Hiroshi Sugimoto. A fine selection of works by up-and-coming Japanese photographers such as Noriko Yamaguchi, Taisuke Koyama and Nao Tsuda are also available. And unlike most art fairs, there is a photography exhibition. Titled "Photo America," the show is organized by the Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) in San Diego and features about 50 American works, encompassing iconic and important historical images never before seen in Japan.
The phrase "never before" can be both enticing and vexing. Ultimately it motivated Tokyo Photo 2009 founder and producer Tomohiro Harada to put his photography art fair dream into action, but it's also the phrase creating the most skepticism about the three-day event. "Most of the top contemporary art galleries in Japan do 70 percent of their business overseas," explains Harada. "There's not much of an art market here and if you limit it to photography, the number of buyers is so small. But I saw this as an opportunity."
A chance meeting with MoPA Executive Director Deborah Klochko during a visit to Paris Photo 2008 (Europe's top annual still photography art fair) helped convince Harada that the risk was worth taking. Klochko said she had always wanted to do something in Japan so they agreed to collaborate. Harada's visit to the AIPAD (Association of International Photography Art Dealers) Photography Show New York last March helped him visualize the possibilities. It's the world's longest running fine art photography fair, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and the premier example of America's strength in art photography worldwide.