Tokyo Tower Art Fair (TTAF) held its first edition in Tokyo last March 10 to 12, 2023, featuring a hand-picked selection of local, national, and international exhibitors. The art fair happened at the Tokyo Tower, a communications and observation tower in the district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, built in 1958. At 332.9 meters, it is the second-tallest structure in Japan and has been visited by over 150 million people.

TTAF shows an exquisite selection of emerging and established contemporary artists and galleries from all around the world. It offers visitors an engaging environment to discover and collect contemporary art. TTAF aims to highlight the city’s global credentials in the art scene and brings together artists from around the world for an unmatched celebration of talent, creativity, innovation, and cultural diversity.

Kim Cruz, an emerging artist from Manila, Philippines was selected to exhibit at this year’s Tokyo Tower Art Fair to represent her country and art. This was Cruz’s first international exhibition. 

Cruz specialises on the female form and figure, using various types of media such as oil, acrylic, charcoal and pastels. Cruz, who has had two solo exhibitions in the past 2 years is fairly new to the art industry but her unique style of painting and sketching women with grace and softness has become her signature style.

Cruz explains that her inspiration for this exhibition was based on real models and women that she was able to sketch in person. She explains that her works were all produced in Tokyo for the show, focusing on her usual color scheme of soft pastel colors and blues. 

A piece called ‘Sakura’ which consists of 4 figures in motion done in oil and acrylic was the centre-piece of her show which grabbed the attention of many during the Art Fair. When asked what made her focus on the female figure as her main subject in her pieces, she answered with “I find beauty and grace in the female form and this is something that I think is quite controversial in our society today, especially with the obsession of social media. I’ve noticed that figures and bodies have become so objectified and we’re so used to seeing it on social media that we forget its essence and how beautiful it is. I’d like to preserve that grace and beauty through my art. The female form is a complex and beautiful subject. Some people are uncomfortable with it and some are moved by it and it is always such a pleasure for me to witness my audience and see them react to my pieces. The more art I make, the more human I feel. I feel connected to my own self both as an artist and as a woman and I feel connected to my audience as well. It’s a privilege to be able to put that in my works.”

Cruz has two more exhibitions lined up for the rest of the year, one in Leon Gallery in Manila this May and another in Barcelona in November. Cruz is just getting started and has a long and exciting path ahead of her as a young artist.

Photos courtesy of Kim Cruz