In Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary : Toyama International Contemporary Art Exhibition “2026 ART/X/TOYAMA”

Nao Takahashi
Executive Committee Chairman
10th Toyama International
Contemporary Art Exhibit
2026 ART/X/TOYAMA

　Art has always evolved in dialogue with the shifting tides of history. Thirty-three years have passed since the first exhibition was held in 1993.

　At that time, the world was still grappling with the unstable aftermath of the Gulf War—a period far from true peace. Even today, as the flames of conflict continue to burn in many regions, this exhibition remains deeply intertwined with these global realities.

　Furthermore, having navigated a global pandemic and entered the dawn of the AI era, contemporary art undergoes new transformations every single day. When we first began, communication was fundamentally analog—reliant on personal ties, handwritten letters, and the whir of the fax machine. Today, we live in a world defined by instant global connectivity through a single device, a shift that has fundamentally reshaped the very nature of human interaction.

　Since its inception, this exhibition has also served as a platform for intellectual discourse through its accompanying art symposia. By welcoming university professors and art critics as panelists, we have nurtured a continuous forum for reflection and debate.

　To commemorate this 10th anniversary, we revisit the themes and titles presented by the distinguished scholars who have critiqued our progress over the decades, reflecting on the path we have traveled together.

• 1993 – 1st Exhibition “Sending Out from Toyama: A New Art Movement” Mr. Akihiro Hayashi, poet from Takaoka
• 1994 – 2nd Exhibition “A Spark of Art in the Region of Toyama”
• Mr. Kiichiro Hayashi, art critic
• 1997 – 3rd Exhibition “The Possibility of Escaping from Crisis”
• Mr. Kiichiro Hayashi, art critic
• 2002 – 4th Exhibition “An International Exhibition Highly Praised in the Post-9/11 Era” Mr. Kiichiro Hayashi, art critic
• 2006 – 5th Exhibition “Art Based on Free Imagination” Mr. Shinichi Segi, art critic
• 2010 – 6th Exhibition “The Globalization of Toyama” Mr. Shinichi Segi
• 2014 – 7th Exhibition “What Artists Themselves Have Built — Impressed by the International Exhibition” Mr. Haruo Mita, art journalist
• 2018 – 8th Exhibition “Art in an Increasingly Complex World Situation” Mr. Yasutomo Shimizu, art critic
• 2022 – 9th Exhibition “Expectations for Artistic Expression under the Pandemic” Mr. Yasutomo Shimizu, art critic
• 2026 – 10th Anniversary Exhibition “ART/X/TOYAMA at a Turning Point” Mr. Yasutomo Shimizu, art critic

　For over three decades, this exhibition has forged its path in constant dialogue with the spirit and shifting circumstances of each era.

　As long as humanity endures, contemporary art will continue to evolve as a vital expression of our existence.

　In closing, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all participating artists, as well as to the many organizations and individuals whose generous cooperation and steadfast support have made this 10th anniversary exhibition possible.