Tomomi Taoka “COODE ’24: FJD (+OS)_8 #2013 #rimeiku” 2024

ADF (NPO Aoyama Design Forum) is pleased to present “COODE ’24: FRUiTS JUICE DRINKS (+ OLD SPICES),” the 30th exhibition of the “ADF Art Gallery Project,” by Tomomi Taoka, an artist who shows a new way of “coordinating” paintings, from Friday 18 October to Saturday 2 November 2024.

“FRUiTS” in the title of this exhibition is derived from the legendary street snapshot magazine FRUiTS, which documented the fashions of the young people who gathered in Harajuku. Taoka, who was influenced by street fashion that incorporated old clothes as a reaction against luxury brand clothing, questions the way of art exhibitions and paintings from her unique perspective.

In the world of fashion, says Taoka, “It is not necessarily only new things that are good, but sometimes value is found in things that were thought to have no value or the new and the old are combined well.” In the art world, it is often assumed that new works will be exhibited at each exhibition, and old works are not often exhibited again. For this exhibition, however, the artist created works by arranging oil paintings she had made when she was a student. Taoka thinks, “it is possible to transform old, failed or cheap works from the past into works of art of the present by coordinating them well.”

Tomomi Taoka “COODE ’24: FJD (+OS)_13 #2019 #rimeiku” 2024

In addition, different materials surrounding the works, such as ropes, wooden boxes, and Styrofoam, which are used as packing materials or supports, are sometimes used like “accessories”. As even the slightest change in balance may create a completely different overall impression, by “coordinating” paintings, Taoka explores what it means to be picturesque.

Tomomi Taoka “COODE ’24: FJD (+OS)_9 #2024 #nyuu” 2024

Sometimes we get bored if there are only new or high-quality things. However, just as sometimes combinations that doesn't seem to “fit” can create new aesthetics and trends, Taoka updates the mode of painting by “spicing up” it with what is considered old or cheap.

1995 Born in Chiba, Japan
2019 Graduated from Musashino Art University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Oil Painting
2021 Graduated from Musashino Art University Graduate School of Art and Design, Department of Art, Oil Painting Course

Solo Exhibition

2020 “Zigusoopazurucoodineito” (Sukiwa, Tokyo)

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024 “HOLBEIN ART FAIR 2024” (+ART GALLERY, Tokyo)
2022 “Somewhere in between” (THE blank GALLERY, Tokyo)
2022 “HOLBEIN ART FAIR 2022” (+ART GALLERY, Tokyo)
2021 “ART AWARD TOKYO MARUNOUCHI 2021” (Marunouchi Oazo OO Square, Tokyo)
2021 “HOLBEIN ART FAIR 2021” (+ART GALLERY, Tokyo)
2021 “Born New Art” (+ART GALLERY, Tokyo)
2020 “Holbein Scholarship Results Exhibition” (Sato Museum of Art, Tokyo)
2019 “Available! Art Collector Exhibition” (MEDEL GALLERY SHU, Tokyo)
2019 “DorooinguDorouwingu” Noriko Kamikubo and Tomomi Taoka two-person exhibition (Art Center Ongoing, Tokyo)
2018 “WONDER SEEDS 2018” (Tokyo Art and Space Hongo)

Dates：October 18 (Fri.) - November 2 (Sat.), 2024 *Closed on Sundays and holidays
Hours：11:00-18:00
Venue：GARDE Gallery (NBF ALLIANCE Bldg. 4F, 5-2-1 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Admission：free
URL：https://www.art-adf.jp/?sl=en