Yusuke Harada×Chisako Takashima

2013.01.07

A talk series with the violinist Chisako Takashima and the Ginza people. Ginza holds many personal and professional memories for Takashima. In this talk series, she thoroughly explores various aspects of the Ginza culture with her guests. Today’s guest is Yusuke Harada, president of Sagamiya Fine Arts and Antiques, one of the most famous galleries in Ginza that is loved by many.

I scrutinize pieces to determine if they are top class, without becoming bound by famous names.

Takashima: When was Sagamiya Fine Arts and Antiques founded?
Harada: It was founded in 1947, so 2012 was our 65th anniversary. My grandfather founded it, making me the 3rd generation president.
Takashima: What kind of art pieces do you exhibit?
Harada: Mostly modern paintings from after the Meiji period. We also display jewelry, though our collection has shrunk quite a bit. My grandfather loved anything that was beautiful.
Takashima: Do you yourself go to auctions to buy works of art?
Harada: Yes. I mostly go to auctions for people in the industry and compete on bids. I also make bids to purchase works of art in private collections or sometimes commission modern artists to make paintings, paying for the costs and the painting itself.
Takashima: If you add restoration, it’s just like a music store! I am not particularly familiar with the art world, but the distribution system sounds very similar. Is there anything in particular you look out for when buying art?
Harada: Different galleries display different types of art. We only display pieces that are truly beautiful first rate products that are well done. Each artist produces many different pieces, but we will not display poorly done pieces even if they are done by someone very famous.
Takashima: I’m impressed! So you don’t buy pieces only for the name. That is different from the music industry, where we buy a Stradivarius even if it is rotting (laughs). I guess it is important to have a good eye for discerning good art.
Harada: Yes. It is very important not to be swayed by brands. More than anything, I try to emphasize my personal feeling and intuition. Those pieces are the ones that really touch the hearts of visitors.

The relaxed atmosphere of the gallery interior

I hope to continue to grow alongside artists as we work together.

Takashima: You mentioned that you sometimes commission work to artists. Do you associate with them directly?
Harada: My father and grandfather were personally associated with prominent artists like Seison Maeda and Ikuo Hirayama. This may also be a special feature of Sagamiya Fine Arts and Antiques. I doubt there are many galleries that actually meet with the artists personally. This probably shows how we value not only just selling paintings, but also conveying their true appeal.
Takashima: I’m sure you can make many discoveries by directly interacting with the artists.
Harada: Yes. We can learn the background behind a piece of art work, like the peculiarities of the artists or what stories they envisioned when creating the piece. That way we can convey to visitors interested in a certain piece its animated appeal that you cannot learn from books.
Takashima: I’m sure the piece would become even closer to your heart from hearing the background story. In addition to the elite artists, do you also help to develop young artists?
Harada: I’ve associated with young artists in the past, and hope to continue to actively support their development in the future as well. At our gallery, we display works by young artists on the first floor where they will be seen by passersby on the street.
Takashima: An opportunity for the works to be seen.
Harada: Exactly. It cannot be appreciated if they are not seen. I will also devote myself so that the artists we display gain a high reputation from being recognized by Sagamiya. While helping young artists gain a foothold in the market, I hope to continue to grow alongside them.

1 2

All List