Mami Kataoka Appointed Artistic Director of Aichi Triennale 2022

11 November 2020

Takeo_Mami 2020.jpg

Published originally by Aichi Triennale, November 11, 2020. Mami Kataoka's photo by Akinori Ito.

On Sept 8, 2020, Aichi Prefecture established a new organizing committee to manage Aichi Triennale 2022, and Takeo Obayashi (Chairperson of the Board, Obayashi Corporation) was appointed as Chairperson of Aichi Triennale Organizing Committee. Mami Kataoka (Director of the Mori Art Museum and President of the CIMAM) was selected by the Chairperson Obayashi from among the candidates presented by the Aichi Triennale Organizing Committee advisory board on Nov 4, 2020.

Kataoka was selected for the following reasons:

  • Based on her wealth of experience and accomplishments as an international curator/director, she can organize an art festival that meets international standards.
  • Her extensive domestic and international networks are necessary to prepare for the Aichi Triennale 2022, given the current COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Well-experienced in heavy responsibilities as a director of art institutions, she will manage the 5th edition of Aichi Triennale flexibly and suitably.
  • Born in Aichi Prefecture, she has a good understanding of the local region and will enhance the appeal of Aichi by utilizing its characteristics.
  • She will be the first female artistic director of Aichi Triennale and is expected to bring a new perspective to the art festival.

Takeo Obayashi (Chairperson of the Board, Obayashi Corporation)

Born in 1954, Tokyo, Obayashi earned a BA at Keio University and a MS at Stanford University, Civil Engineering School. Obayashi Corporation has been undertaking many large-scale art projects, with more than 70 pieces of contemporary art installed throughout the company's headquarters in an attempt to create a space full of creativity. The company commissioned Yayoi Kusama and 18 other internationally renowned artists to create rare works of art, involving them from the building’s design stage to ensure the pieces’ intimate relationships with the space.
Obayashi is a Council Member of MoMA (New York); President of the Japanese Friends of Centre Pompidou (Paris); Member of the Japanese Committee of Honour, Royal Academy of Arts (London); Member of the Tate International Council Executive Committee (London); Council Member of The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art (Tokyo); Council Member of Mori Art Museum (Tokyo); Council Member of Ishikawa Foundation (Okayama); and Council Member of Kawamura Cultural Foundation (Tokyo).

Mami Kataoka (Director, Mori Art Museum, and President of CIMAM)

Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Graduated from Aichi University of Education. Kataoka was Chief Curator at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (1997-2002) prior to the Mori Art Museum (2003-) where she holds the current position since 2020. She was also International Curator at the Hayward Gallery, London (2007-2009); Co-Artistic Director for the 9th Gwangju Biennale, South Korea (2012); and Artistic Director of the 21st Biennale of Sydney (2018). She has been serving as a Board Member of CIMAM [International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art] (2014-) and currently the President of CIMAM 2020-2022. Chair of Contemporary Art Committee Japan, Art Platform Japan [Initiative by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan]; Councilor of Tokyo Council for the Arts [Initiative by Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Japan]; and Member of AICA [International Association of Art Critics]. Adjunct Professor at Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School; Adjunct Professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts. Kataoka frequently writes, lectures, and juries on contemporary art from Japan, Asia and beyond.

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