B-OWND, a platform for art and craft works provided by Tanseisha, will pre-open an art gallery, B-OWND Gallery, on the 7th floor of Hankyu Men's Tokyo (owner: Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Co., Ltd.; location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) on April 29th, with a grand opening on May 31st.
"B-OWND Gallery" Image Perspective
"B-OWND Gallery" is the first permanent gallery operated by B-OWND, which mainly sells its works online. Works by artists participating in B-OWND will be exhibited and sold on-site. In addition, we plan to exhibit and sell NFT (*1) art works created in collaboration with artists.
We aim to have real communication with customers by having them actually touch the artworks and participate in solo exhibitions by B-OWND artists and events featuring art works.
The grand opening on May 31st will see the opening exhibition of a solo exhibition by ceramic artist Takahiro Koga, held at two venues, MAIN BASE on the 1st floor and on the 7th floor of Hankyu Men's Tokyo.
In the future, B-OWND will continue to strive to create opportunities for more people to enjoy art, promote the spread of art and crafts, and contribute to the expansion of the art market in Japan, based on its mission of "bringing everyone into the arts."
(*1) NFT (Non-Fungible Token): A non-fungible token that can create the value of unique, "one-of-a-kind data." By utilizing blockchain technology, it is possible to create digital data that is difficult to tamper with.
Background of the initiative
B-OWND has worked with many artists who create artisanal craft works online, and has endeavored to expand and popularize the art market and support artists' activities in various ways, including selling works using blockchain technology, introducing artists using its media functions, and promoting collaborations between art and space using Tanseisha's business.
As we approach the fourth anniversary of the service launch in May 2019, we have decided to open a permanent gallery called "B-OWND Gallery" to communicate with customers not only online but also in real life.
By directly touching the exhibited works in the gallery, visitors will be able to get a deeper appreciation of the appeal of craft works as art. We are also planning to hold events that will create new contact points with Japanese culture, such as a tea ceremony experience using tea utensils made by the artists in a tea room set up within the gallery.
Gallery Features
1. Permanent exhibition and sale of works by craft artists
Works by over 20 craft artists participating in B-OWND will be on permanent display and for sale.
2. Issuance of blockchain certificates
A real certificate*2 equipped with an IC tag will be issued to anyone who purchases a work of art for a fee.
3. Exhibition and sale of NFT art
NFT artworks created in collaboration with artists participating in B-OWND will be exhibited on monitors in the gallery and will be available for sale in limited quantities.
4. Experience the update of unique Japanese aesthetic sense
Rather than the typical white cube (a space with white walls and ceilings) found in conventional galleries, this is a new type of art gallery where you can experience the update of Japan's unique aesthetic sense through craft works, a tea room space, and modern technology.
(*2) Real Certificate: A certificate attached to artworks equipped with IC tags, developed in collaboration with the IC tag-equipped blockchain certificate issued by "Startrail," a blockchain infrastructure developed by Startbahn Inc.*3.
(*3) Startbahn Inc.: Founded in 2014. The company is building the blockchain infrastructure "Startrail" to guarantee the authenticity and reliability of artworks around the world, and ultimately to support the inheritance of value. It also develops and provides web applications and APIs to make it easy to use the information on Startrail.
Overview of the opening exhibition, Takahiro Koga's solo exhibition "NEO WABI-SABI"
| Dates | May 31, 2023 (Wednesday) - June 6, 2023 (Tuesday) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Hankyu Men's Tokyo 1F MAIN BASE, 7F (2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8488) |
| time | Weekdays: 12:00-20:00 / Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 11:00-20:00 *Closing at 7pm on the final day, June 6th (Tue) Business hours may change. Please check the Hankyu Men's Tokyo website for details. |
| Organizer | Tanseisha Co., Ltd. (B-OWND) |
| Inquiry | info@b-ownd.com |
About "B-OWND"
Launched in May 2019, B-OWND is an online marketplace that handles craft works as the highest form of art that expresses Japanese beauty. By carefully introducing artists and their works, the platform aims to connect artists with buyers. In addition, B-OWND allows you to purchase works that come with a blockchain-based digital certificate of authenticity. The fact that you have purchased a work is recorded semi-permanently, and each person's aesthetic sense is engraved in the history of art and crafts.
Related information
Related Links
B-OWND, an online marketplace that sells craft works as art: https://www.b-ownd.com/
Please note that this may be subject to change without prior notice.