When did you first start thinking of "owning" a piece of art?

I first became interested in owning artworks when I started renting space and running my own gallery. Before I started the gallery, I was working as an artist and my home was filled with my old  works and my family would often complain about it, so I thought that I shouldn't even own other people's work (although I did collect art books and merchandise).

What made you want to purchase a piece of art?

When I could successfully create the best gallery space with my favorite artists, it is hard to say goodbye to those artworks after the exhibition and makes me want to keep them. As someone who would be selling my own work, I wanted to experience purchasing art and wanted to understand more about what it is like to collect artworks as well. 

How do you enjoy the art you own?

I don't keep them in a box for safekeeping, but rather display them everywhere just like a piece of furniture.

If I had to name how I enjoy art, there are three categories I can think of:
'Symbols'... I’m displaying a canvas print piece of Taiyaki next to where I keep my snacks and bread. Or a painting in my bedroom is something that could possibly induce good dreams. The art symbolizes where I display them, indicating what kind of place it is. I think it would be interesting if my kids remembered those paintings at home when they grow up.
‘Research’... I try to find answers to why I got so attracted to the art I own and how it resonated  with me at that time in my life. I put them in my studio or in places where I can see them often in daily life. The works I have picked with my kids are displayed at their eye level, and I would make my kids try to foam words as to why they chose the art.
'Archive'... I have works of the artists who have exhibited at the gallery will be placed on the shelves in the gallery's backyard, and the works will be archived and shown to the public. 

Do you think there’s a difference between seeing an exhibition or art in real life and online?

Since we couldn't invite people to our gallery due to the covid outbreak, we also started online  exhibitions and a web shop. I had a very good photographer take pictures of works and made a 360 degree view system, but it is not quite the same amazing experience as seeing the art in real life and to feel the texture and the brushstrokes details on the surface. Furthermore, you can’t really experience how individual works interact with each other in one space, so there’s a bit of frustration. Although there are more opportunities for people live far to purchase artworks so I’m not going to let it discourage me but keep going.

What kind of artwork would you like to own in the future?

The other day I bought a painting by an unknown artist from itou's online shop in Kyoto for the first time. It was signed, but I couldn't find any information about the artist on the internet. It was a bold abstract painting that I  intuitively felt  that this was exactly what I wanted. Whether they are paintings or ceramic sculptures, I tend to be attracted to something dynamic, bumpy and persuasive ones that I never get bored of. 

What does “Owned Art (the art you own)” mean to you?

This may sound a bit spiritual, but I believe that buying a piece of art is a way to connect the "good part” of the artist with the "good part” of the person who bought it. I reckon that a gallerist's job is to connect and amplify people's "good parts" and make the world look somewhatbetter.

Do you have any advice for people considering buying art?

At the beginning of this year, my husband, who is not that enthusiastic about art to begin with, went on a trip to Berlin, where he visited some of his friend's music studios. Once he returned back home, he told me that he wanted to put up some art.. Seemed like he really liked how there were artworks everywhere at the studios. As soon as I introduced him to an exhibition I thought he might like, he would go  there to buy art, and then bought some home decor to go along with it and turned his office beautiful day by day. It's a pleasure  watching someone very close to me grow as a collector. Please reach out to me if you come up with the idea of art you want in your room.