ART AWARD TOKYO MARUNOUCHI 2026 Kicks Off, Showcasing 20 Selected Artworks from Graduates Nationwide; Grand Prize and Other Awards Announced

The contemporary art exhibition 'ART AWARD TOKYO MARUNOUCHI 2026' (hereafter AATM), primarily utilizing the Gyoko-dori Underground Gallery and aimed at discovering and nurturing young artists, started on Monday, May 25. Marking its 20th edition, AATM this year once again showcases 20 carefully selected works from 200 nominations submitted by 18 schools nationwide. On the opening day, May 25 (Monday), the Grand Prize, Jury Prizes, and other awards were decided and announced from among the 20 works, followed by an award ceremony. The Grand Prize was awarded to Tatsuru Hatayama (Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School). He received a certificate, prize money, and the supplementary prize of an opportunity to exhibit at Espace 1894 in the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (scheduled around March 2027). Upon receiving the award, Hatayama commented, 'I created this work while thinking about what I can do in my daily life in response to the wars and discrimination happening in the world.' He also expressed his thoughts on solidarity, stating, 'I realized that my 10-minute walk home is a place where life and the world are condensed.' Jury member Eriko Kimura (Director of the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art) highly praised the work for starting from the personal experience of 'walking home' and expanding it into a grand imagination encompassing maps, history, international affairs, and memories of the land. She commented, 'He is trying to depict the era of 2026 through his own physical sensations.' The award winners are as follows: - Grand Prize: Tatsuru Hatayama (Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School) - Yusaku Imamura Jury Prize: OIRA (Tama Art University) - Eriko Kimura Jury Prize: Benio Ishioka (Tokyo University of the Arts) - Shigeo Goto Jury Prize: Yin Xiangqi (Nagoya University of Arts) - Tomio Koyama Jury Prize: He Ziyu (Musashino Art University Graduate School) - Satoshi Tatehata Jury Prize: Arisa Odawara (Tama Art University) - Tomoko Yabumae Jury Prize: Zou Mingsen (Tama Art University Graduate School) - Yusuke Komuta Prize (Special Jury): Sakurako Shirai (Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School) - Obayashi Corporation Prize: Riru Mizuguchi (Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School) - Embassy of France Prize: Tong Lei (Tokyo Zokei University Graduate School) - Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum Prize: Mibuki Katsumi (Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts Graduate School) The 20 works, including the awarded pieces, will be exhibited at the Gyoko-dori Underground Gallery until Sunday, June 21. Additionally, during this period, the 'AATM 2026 Satellite Exhibition' featuring special exhibitions by artists who participated in the first AATM and are still active today, is being held at the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum Espace 1894. Marunouchi will continue to create opportunities to encounter art as a hub for culture and arts, expanding the possibilities for the artists who will lead the next generation. ■ 'ART AWARD TOKYO MARUNOUCHI 2026' Event Outline May 25 (Monday) - June 21 (Sunday), 2026, 11:00-20:00 *Until 18:00 on the final day. Viewing hours are subject to change. Gyoko-dori Underground Gallery Free Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. Obayashi Corporation, istyle Art and Culture Foundation, Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation, Daiwa Securities Group, Nohmi Bosai Ltd., Marunouchi Heat Supply Co., Ltd. Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum / Embassy of France in Japan / Institut français [Jury Members] Yusaku Imamura (Former Vice President, Tokyo University of the Arts) Eriko Kimura (Director, Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art) Shigeo Goto (Editor, Creative Director, Professor Emeritus at Kyoto University of the Arts) Tomio Koyama (Representative, Tomio Koyama Gallery; Advisor, Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon) Satoshi Tatehata (Professor Emeritus, Tama Art University) Tomoko Yabumae (Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo) Yusuke Komuta (Artist, Exhibitor at AATM 2007)