[End of recruitment]The Potential of Art in Ota Ward
- Art and Welfare, Industry, and Urban Development -

OTA Art Project
The Potential of Art in Ota Ward: Welfare, Industry, and Urban Development Connected with Art

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Masato Nakamura, a social artist who has been involved in numerous art projects from "Arts Chiyoda 3331" to "Tokyo Biennale," will be the facilitator and will introduce various art initiatives in Ota City.
We will be welcoming three guests to explore the future possibilities of art in Ota Ward, and to hear about what is currently needed in the art world of Ota Ward and how it could be made more interesting.

Performer profile

Masato Nakamura (Artist / Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, Head of the Art x Business Area, Institute for Future Art Studies)

Born in Odate City, Akita Prefecture in 1963. He participated in guerrilla street art exhibitions at "The Ginburart" (Ginza) in 1993 and "Shinjuku Shonen Art" (Kabukicho) in 1994. He has been involved in numerous art projects that create new spaces for local communities, including the international video art exhibition "Akihabara TV" (1999-2000), held in Akihabara Electric Town, "Himming" (Himi City, Toyama Prefecture) (2004-2016), and "Zerodate" (Odate City, Akita Prefecture) (2007-2019). Since 1997, he has led the art collective "Command N." In 2010, he founded the privately-run cultural facility "Arts Chiyoda 3331" (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) (2010-closed March 2023), which operated as an art center open to the local community for approximately 13 years. In 2001, he exhibited at the Japan Pavilion at the 49th Venice Biennale. His installation work using McDonald's corporate identity attracted worldwide attention. He has served as the general director of the Tokyo Biennale since 2020. His publications include Art and Education (1997), the photo collection Bright Despair (2015), Open a New Page! (2017), and Art Project Cultural Capital: From 3331 to the Tokyo Biennale (2021). He was awarded the 2010 Art Encouragement Prize, and the 2018 Architectural Institute of Japan Culture Award.

Shota Ogino (Counselor in charge of Arts & Culture Business, Culture & Entertainment Division, Tokyu Corporation)

Counselor in charge of arts and culture projects in the Culture and Entertainment Division of Tokyu Corporation. Born in 1984. Since 2011, he has been involved with Art Fair Tokyo, Tokyo International Photography Festival, TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR, and Taka Ishii Gallery, while also founding lemon books and publishing art books. From 2015, he served as director of a child development support facility where artists are involved in therapeutic education, before joining Tokyu Corporation in 2018. He has worked in real estate consulting sales, commercial planning, and asset management before assuming his current position.

Yuna Ogino (contemporary artist)

Born in Tokyo in 1982. After graduating from the Graduate School of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2007, he began his artistic career and has exhibited his paintings both in Japan and abroad. Recent major exhibitions include "Dim Warmth" (THE PLUG/Tokyo) in 2025 and "Multilayered emotions" (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Contemporary Gallery/Tokyo) in 2024. In addition to his creative activities, he is also involved in art and welfare activities (WORKSHOP NOCONOCO) and art education (Kamata Art Seminar) in the Ota Ward where his studio is located.

Kazuhisa Matsuda (Architect)

1985Born in Hokkaido in 1997. Architect.2009Graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Department of Architecture, Tokyo University of the Arts.UKAWHe is the head of a first-class architectural firm. He bases his work on research and design methods in the field of architecture, and works on a wide range of projects, from product and furniture design to installations, architectural design, and area development. In recent years, he has been working on a shared studio in a corner of the industrial area of ​​Ota Ward.TAIRU- Tokyo Art and Industry ReunionBased in the area, they collaborate with local small factories and artists, and are experimenting with reconstructing the environment for not only design but also manufacturing.STOPOVERHe is also involved in planning and running art events such as the "Southern End Tokyo" exhibition and the Ota Ward Open Studio. His recent works include the "Keikyu Omorimachi Umeyashiki Station Underpass Development Project"/KOCA", "Omori's 3D lattice,"The Planet of Nobody/Collective Unconscious” New Taipei City Museum of Art (Taiwan), etc.

Request for application

• Each application is limited to three people. If you wish to apply for four or more people, please apply separately.
• We will contact you from the address below.Please set the following address to be receivable on your personal computer, mobile phone, etc., enter the necessary information, and apply.
• Please contact us during opening hours, Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays).