YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has named the finalists for the Nissan Art Award 2017.
The five emerging contemporary Japanese artists were among 25 candidates who were nominated for the first selection round in New York in May, with Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn in attendance. They will create new artwork for an exhibition taking place from Sept. 16 to Nov. 5, 2017, at BankART Studio NYK in Yokohama. Nissan will announce the Grand Prix winner on Sept. 27.
The winner of the Nissan Art Award 2017 will receive the opportunity to participate in an artist residency at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York. This renowned residency program combines the use of a studio facility with regular visits from curators, critics and gallerists, allowing artists to present their work directly to influential figures in the art world.
"I continue to be amazed by the talent and diversity expressed by emerging Japanese artists, as reflected in the nominations for the Nissan Art Award selection process," Ghosn said. "I look forward to seeing the finalists' new creations on display this fall."
Jean de Loisy, a member of the international jury, said, "The selection process was a discovery of what is happening on the creation scene in Japan. The inner world of the artists varies from being sometimes combative, to politic, purely poetic or narrative. I hope this diversity would give us a feeling of what is not only the newest but also the deepest of the new expressions of Japan nowadays."
Jessica Morgan, another member of the international jury, said, "The great thing about visual artists is also that they are very unpredictable. So we have no idea what direction they will choose to go. I'm very intrigued to see what these artists will produce."
Nissan Art Award 2017 finalists (Listed in alphabetical order of surnames )
| Name | Date / place of birth / base |
|---|---|
| Motoyuki Daifu | 1985 / Tokyo / Tokyo |
| Hikaru Fujii | 1976 / Tokyo / Tokyo |
| Ryuichi Ishikawa | 1984 / Okinawa / Okinawa |
| Yuichiro Tamura | 1977 / Toyama / Shizuoka |
| Nami Yokoyama | 1986 / Gifu / Ibaraki |
| Reference works For press images, contact pr-naa@a-i-t.net |
 |
 |
| Hikaru Fujii The Educational System of an Empire 2016 |
Ryuichi Ishikawa A Grand Polyphony, ZK.013 NAHA 2013 |
|
 |
 |
 |
| Motoyuki Daifu Still Life 2013 |
Yuichiro Tamura Milky Bay 2016 |
Nami Yokoyama The first object 2016 |
The finalists
 |
Motoyuki Daifu He explores the everyday things around us in a humorous,ironical manner through comprehensive images that seem to traverse the ordinary and extraordinary. |
 |
Hikaru Fujii He is known for his work that draws on archive materials with a focus on video and film media to present reinterpretations of social events, history, memory and relationships as well as new hope for the future. His output encompasses not only installations and video, but also workshops, documentaries, and writing and directing for theater and film. |
 |
Ryuichi Ishikawa His photography captures portraits of the people, streets and landscapes of his native Okinawa. The energy and appearance emanating from the subjects he frames in his viewfinder vividly reveal the multi-faceted nature of Japan today. |
 |
Yuichiro Tamura He samples existing images or his own photographic materials to compose new landscapes and narratives that transcend time and space by eliciting and reconstructing original relationships. |
 |
Nami Yokoyama Her still life paintings deal with seemingly trivial motifs that exist quietly in everyday life, such as chicken bones, used telephone cards, or empty toilet paper rolls. However, on the surface of her work there lingers a certain sadness or strangeness. |
ABOUT THE NISSAN ART AWARD 2017
Organized and sponsored by： Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Directed, coordinated and exhibition curated by： Arts Initiative Tokyo
In association with: International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP)
Exhibition overview
Title: NISSAN ART AWARD 2017: Exhibition of New Works by Five Finalists
Exhibition period：Saturday, Sept. 16 - Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017 *
*Closed on the second and fourth Thursday of every month.
Venue： BankART Studio NYK, 2F, 3-9 Kaigan Dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Exhibition support by: BankART 1929
Associate support by: City of Yokohama
Final selection and ceremony
The jury selects the Grand Prix winner based on the exhibition. An Audience Award will be given based on votes from the public. All winners will be announced at the invitation-only award ceremony and reception on Sept. 27.
Prizes
Finalists: 1 million yen
Grand Prix: A total value of 5 million yen (finalist prize money and an additional 2 million yen, as well as 3 months of overseas residency program at ISCP with expert counseling and subsidy for travel, living and research costs), plus a trophy
International jury members:
| Fumio Nanjo (chair) | Director, Mori Art Museum (Tokyo) |
| Jean de Loisy | Director, Palais de Tokyo (Paris) |
| Sunjung Kim | Director, Art Sonje Center/Artistic director, Real DMZ Project (Seoul) |
| Jessica Morgan | Director, Dia Art Foundation (New York) |
| Lawrence Rinder | Director and chief curator, Berkeley Museum and Pacific Film Archive (California) |
Additional details: http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/CITIZENSHIP/NAA/
Activities of previous finalists
The Nissan Art Award offers sustained support for the activities of past finalists. Here are some examples of the upcoming activities of previous award finalists:
Nissan Art Award 2015 finalist Takahiro Iwasaki:
Exhibiting at the Japan Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale (May 13 - Nov. 26, 2017)
Nissan Art Award 2013 finalist Tatzu Nishi:
Exhibiting artworks from the Nissan Art Collection at YCC Gallery, Yokohama (Sept. 18 - Nov. 5, 2017)
For more information about Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.'s products, services and our commitment to sustainable mobility, visit Nissan-Global.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, and view our latest videos on YouTube.