Screening session

In 2023, we received 831 entries from 617 artists, making it a successful judging panel.
The Idemitsu Art Award is particular about "in-kind judging," with five judges actually viewing and judging all the submitted works from the first screening onwards.
The entries were judged from a variety of perspectives, and 8 winning entries, including the Grand Prix, and 46 winning entries were selected.

Idemitsu Art Award 2023 Introduction of the judges (titles omitted)

Yuka Egami

Yuka Egami

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1969. Graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Philosophy, Department of Aesthetics and Art History in 1992. From the same year, he became a curator at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art (currently the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art). In recent years, the exhibitions I have been in charge of include “Kansai in the 1980s” (2022), “Collected! Japanese Avant-garde – Yamamura Collection Exhibition through the Eyes of Tokutaro Yamamura” (2019), and “Forms in Art – Seeing with Hands” Model: A dog that is worth touching - Nakahashi Katsushige'' (2018), “Notable Artist Introduction Program Channel 7 Kohei Takahashi - Tasting the Town, Individuals and Progress” (2016), “20 Years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake” (2014-15), etc. (including joint projects).

Sachiko Shoji

Sachiko Masamichi

photo: Shintaro Yamanaka
(Qsyum!)

Born in Okayama Prefecture. Withdrew from Ochanomizu University Graduate School after completing the doctoral course. After working as a curator at the Fukuoka City Art Museum, he became a chief researcher at the National Museum of Art, Osaka in 2023. The main exhibitions I planned during my time at the Fukuoka City Art Museum were “The 9th 21st Century Artists - Fukuoka Oura Kokoro Exhibition: Soft Pressure'' (2011), “Reimagine'' (2014), and “Doing history! ” (2016), “Yinka Shonibare CBE: FLOWER POWER” (2019), “Tetsuya Umeda: The Origin of Songs” (2019-20), “Mitsuko Tabe Exhibition “We Can’t Give Up Hope” (2022), “ Kazutomo Fujino and Yoshiko Okagami” (2022-23).

Tomohiro Masuda

Tomohiro Masuda

Born in 1982. Withdrew from Waseda University Graduate School of Letters, Department of Art History, after completing the doctoral course. Major exhibitions include "Gerhard Richter Exhibition" (2022), "Peter Doig Exhibition" (2020), "Awakening to Asia: Changing Art, Changing the World 1960-1990s" (co-curated, Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea, National Gallery Singapore, 2018–2019), “No Museum, No Life?—Future Museum Encyclopedia: Exhibitions from the National Museum Collection” (co-curated, 2015), etc.

Meruro Washida

Merlo Washida

Born in 1973 in Kyoto City, lives in Towada City. Completed master's degree at the University of Tokyo. After working as a curator at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, he became the director of the Towada City Museum of Contemporary Art in 2020. Curator of the Japan Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition (2017). Aichi Triennale 2019 curator. His books include "Curator's Notes 2007-2020" (Aesthetics Publishing). Associate professor at Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School.

Miyuki Takenaka

Miyuki Takenaka

photo: Hiromi Shinada

Artist: Graduated from Tama Art University's Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Painting, majoring in oil painting, and completed the Graduate School of Fine Arts at the same university. Based in Tokyo. I mainly create works using transparent materials, and develop them into two-dimensional works and installations that incorporate light and shadow.
Recent solo exhibitions include “The Story Continues” (2023 Suitopia Center Art Gallery/Gifu), “Yin and Yang” (2022 Art Front Gallery/Tokyo), “Ripples of the City” (2019 Shinjuku Park Tower Gallery 1/Tokyo), etc. .
Major group exhibitions include Oku-Noto Triennale 2020+ (Suzu Theater Museum/Ishikawa), Quintet IV Five-Star Artists (2018 SOMPO Museum/Tokyo), Shell Art Award Artist Selection 2017 (National Art Center, Tokyo) Tokyo), VOCA Exhibition - New Planar Artists - (Ueno Royal Museum/Tokyo), etc.
Major awards include the 2020 Clear Stream Country Gifu Art Festival/Momoaki Shinohara Award, the 2012 Shell Art Award/Atsuhiko Shima Jury Encouragement Award, and the Tokyo Wonder Wall 2010/Wonder Wall Award.

Examination progress report

First screening 831 works → 201 works

Four works were lined up in front of the judges, and the judging proceeded by one or more judges raising their hands.
However, to ensure fairness, works that were not selected within the first three minutes were judged again after all works had been judged.

Second screening 201 works → 95 works

Prior to the second round of judging, multiple works by one artist were judged. After that, three works were lined up in front of the judges, and the judging proceeded with a show of hands from two or more judges.

Third screening 95 works → 71 works

Four works were lined up in front of the judges, and the judging proceeded with a show of hands from two or more judges.

Final screening: 71 works → 54 works

All 71 items that passed the third round of screening were lined up and judged.

Grand prize decision

The judges voted for two works each as Grand Prix candidates, and six works were selected as Grand Prix candidates. One of the works received one vote from all judges (total of 5 votes), and after each judge explained the reason for their vote, the Grand Prix was unanimously decided.

Jury awards and selection of winning works

The judges selected one work each for the Jury Award and 10 works each (Judge Takenaka selected 6 works).

Special student award, selection of additional winning works

Two works were selected for the Student Special Award from among the selected works, which were submitted by students.
Afterwards, in place of the two works selected for the Student Special Award, two additional winning works were selected.