Art Gene Opens Offices in China and Japan

Most recently we have forged links with a range of Organisations in China and Japan, through a our recent curatorial trip set up and developed by Art Gene with the help of our Japanese and Chinese Partners. The Artist/Founders Stuart Bastik and Maddi Nicholson were invited to give a lecture in Yokohama, Japan.

As a result of the visit Art Gene has now established our first international offices in Japan and China to help us develop these links into realisable projects. In recognition of Art Gene’s high quality (inter)national artists research residency programme, Art Gene has recently been invited to host residencies by two Brazilian Artists (Edouard Fraipont and Fabiano Marques) who undertook residencies financed and developed through a partnership with Visiting Arts and the Artist Links programme, Brazilian Office of the British Council.  

We are very pleased to announce that Lucy Chen, an experienced Chinese Arts Manager, and Artist Tomoko Takahashi (aka anti-cool) have agreed to work on Art Gene’s China and Japan Programmes.

As Chinese and Japanese nationals Lucy and Tomoko bring a breadth of experience and knowledge of the art worlds in China and Japan to our team. They will work closely with our Artist/Founders to develop new partnerships and projects with Chinese and Japanese artists and organisations. Initially Lucy will be following up many interesting new contacts in China and focusing on the development of new projects with Chinese artists, architects and arts organisations.

Tomoko’s first role was to manage applications for a prestigious Arts Council International Fellowship to be hosted by Art Gene later this year (since awarded to Mikan: starting November 2007) and she will be an essential first point of contact for new relationships with artists and organisations in Japan.

Art Gene’s International Research Residencies were recently recognised by Arts Council England who awarded Art Gene an opportunity to host one of their prestigious ‘International Artist Fellowships’, please view Mikan's page here.

Speaking about the new offices Maddi Nicholson said:

           “Art Gene has always forged strong links with international artists and arts organisations, we feel opening offices in China and Japan is a logical next step in raising the profile of Art Gene internationally. It will also make us more accessible across language barriers to artists and companies with which we would like to work and explore partnerships”.

Lucy Chen (left) and Tomoko Takahashi (right).