Amana Artist Unit 'Aphic' Selected for the 1st AI ART meets Art Fair
Amana Inc.'s prototyping lab 'FIGLAB' announces that its artist unit 'Aphic' (Takanari Mitsui and Fumitaka Sato) has been selected for the 1st AI ART meets Art Fair. Their work, which explores the intersection of photography and AI, will be exhibited at KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026 from May 22 to 24, 2026.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 18, 2026 at 21:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 18, 2026 at 13:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 18, 2026 at 13:20 (18 min after Collected)
Amana Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Takeaki Kaneko) is pleased to announce that a work by 'Aphic,' an artist unit belonging to its prototyping lab, has been selected for the open call exhibition '1st AI ART meets Art Fair.'
The selected work will be displayed at the art fair 'KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026' from May 22 (Fri) to 24 (Sun), 2026 (May 22 is a VIP preview for invitees and press).
### About the 1st AI ART meets Art Fair
This open call exhibition, held as a related project of the contemporary art fair KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026, targets artworks that incorporate AI into their production process. The screening process values thought, context, and necessity as contemporary art rather than just technical novelty. It questions how AI-generated works should be positioned within the evaluation and distribution systems of contemporary art.
### About Aphic
Aphic is a unit composed of Takanari Mitsui and Fumitaka Sato. They explore the relationship between technology and visual expression across various media, including photography, video, and generative AI. In this work, they question the relationship between image generation and photographic expression from a perspective that traverses photographic history and generative technology.
### About FIGLAB
FIGLAB is Amana's prototyping laboratory that explores new media expressions by fusing visual expression with technology. It brings together creators with diverse expertise to conduct research and practice across fields from business to art.
### Exhibition Details
- Event Name: KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026
- Program: 1st AI ART meets Art Fair
- Period: May 22 (Fri) – 24 (Sun), 2026 (*May 22 is VIP preview)
- Venue: Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel, 7th Floor
### About Amana Inc.
Established in 1979 as an advertising photography production company, Amana has expanded into one of Japan's largest creative studios. It produces visuals for TV commercials, web videos, and 3DCG. Today, it leverages its creative resources and knowledge from 10,000 annual projects to support client communication transformation and DX through creativity.
The selected work will be displayed at the art fair 'KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026' from May 22 (Fri) to 24 (Sun), 2026 (May 22 is a VIP preview for invitees and press).
### About the 1st AI ART meets Art Fair
This open call exhibition, held as a related project of the contemporary art fair KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026, targets artworks that incorporate AI into their production process. The screening process values thought, context, and necessity as contemporary art rather than just technical novelty. It questions how AI-generated works should be positioned within the evaluation and distribution systems of contemporary art.
### About Aphic
Aphic is a unit composed of Takanari Mitsui and Fumitaka Sato. They explore the relationship between technology and visual expression across various media, including photography, video, and generative AI. In this work, they question the relationship between image generation and photographic expression from a perspective that traverses photographic history and generative technology.
### About FIGLAB
FIGLAB is Amana's prototyping laboratory that explores new media expressions by fusing visual expression with technology. It brings together creators with diverse expertise to conduct research and practice across fields from business to art.
### Exhibition Details
- Event Name: KOBE ART MARCHÉ 2026
- Program: 1st AI ART meets Art Fair
- Period: May 22 (Fri) – 24 (Sun), 2026 (*May 22 is VIP preview)
- Venue: Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel, 7th Floor
### About Amana Inc.
Established in 1979 as an advertising photography production company, Amana has expanded into one of Japan's largest creative studios. It produces visuals for TV commercials, web videos, and 3DCG. Today, it leverages its creative resources and knowledge from 10,000 annual projects to support client communication transformation and DX through creativity.
FAQ
Can the general public attend the exhibition in Kobe?
Yes, it will be open to the public during the KOBE ART MARCHE 2026 (May 23-24), while May 22 is reserved for VIPs.
What is the focus of Amana's FIGLAB?
It focuses on merging visual expression with technology to explore new media for both business and artistic fields.
How was AI evaluated in this art fair?
The fair prioritized the conceptual intent and artistic context of the work rather than just its technical novelty.