Tomio Koyama Gallery Tokyo - Kyoto | TKG Editions　Ginza - Kyoto

» Concept:

Think Warm: Miami draws for you, a survey of the drawing medium with works by 24 Miami artists.
Collaborative artist team of independent curators Agatha Wara & Nicola Gugliotti.

So there we were, about to move from Miami to Tokyo when we looked around and realized we were in the middle of something really amazing. With the recent art fairs in Miami, and great collections either starting in or moving to both the Design and Wynwood Districts, we think the world is noticing the specific cultural contributions of Miami artists. We conceived of a way to bring Miami to Japan with us. Not knowing where our efforts would land us we printed out contracts and packed work into a hard portfolio, which we placed in the overhead compartment of our transpacific flight.

We left a warm Miami April behind, to arrive in a freezing Tokyo April, something we had never experienced... realizing just how on-the-opposite-side-of-the-world we were.

Once we decided to put this exhibition together, we didn't have to look very hard to find this talented group of artists since we were associated with and surrounded by them. Whether nationally or internationally recognized or new bloods, mid-career or just starting out, we wanted to combine their dynamic work into an exhibition that would serve as a "snap-shot" of the Miami art scene at that time. While the artists in Think Warm work in a variety of mediums, each of them uses drawing in some stage of their work or as the work itself.

With Think Warm we will initialize a second exhibition, one which will create a cultural exchange, bringing work by Tokyo artists back to Miami. Giving each city a chance to experience the artists?ﾕ work and influences of the other, we also hope to create connections between artists and galleries along the way.

When we think of Miami, hot beaches and steaming asphalt are first to come to mind. We also think of it is people warm, extroverted, the more attitude the better. English, Spanish, Creole and dialects of each can be heard everywhere you go. In addition, Miami's art community is vastly multicultural and the artists in Think Warm represent this diversity. When going to an art opening excessive pleasantries like hugs and kisses are expected. Tokyo was in complete contrast to Miami for us. In a homogenous country were there is mainly one language and one of the lowest crime rates in the world, and at art openings no one hugs or kisses instead everyone greets each other at arm's length with a slight acknowledging bow or a hand-shake.


Both cities have produced many young, phenomenal, hard-working artists and we want to act as agents to inject some Miami heat into the cool Tokyo art world.

So as the January wind freezes your privates off Tokyo, Think Warm because Miami draws for you.

Participating artists：
Hernan Bas／Bhakti Baxter／Amy Broderick／Clifton Childree／Blane de st. Croix／Jamie Crooke／Wendy Deschene／Jason Ferguson／Naomi Fisher／Jason Hedges／Jiae Hwang／Sibel Kocabasi／Sinisa Kukec／Victor Muniz／Daniel Newman／Brandon Opalka／Martin Oppel／Ali Prosch／Carol Prusa／Tao Rey／Cristy Road／Diego Singh／Diana Shpungin & Nicole Englemann

Sincere thanks to:
Our amazing artists/Sarah Gavlak /Tomio Koyama and staff/Blane de St. Croix/Talya Lerman/Fredric Snitzer/Rod Faulds/Paul Laster+Renee Riccardo.