NEW YORK, NY.- Pace announced that its gallery in Tokyo’s new Azabudai Hills development, which will begin welcoming visitors this year, will be helmed by Kyoko Hattori. Working closely with Pace’s international leadership in her new role, Hattori will introduce the gallery’s artists and clients to the fast-growing arts scene in Japan, both within and beyond its capital city. She brings her expertise on the Japanese art market, along with a robust network of colleagues in Tokyo’s arts community, to Pace. As Vice President, she will focus on developing a Japanese collector base for the gallery and cultivating new relationships with local artists and institutions.
Most recently, Hattori worked as Regional Director of Phillips in Japan. Opening Phillips’s Tokyo office in 2016, she was responsible for managing client relationships and securing significant consignments from Japan, including a monumental Jean-Michel Basquiat painting from Yusaku Maezawa’s collection. Over the course of her tenure at Phillips, Hattori helped establish the enterprise as one of the top global auction houses in Japan. Hattori earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Tokyo and held roles at major financial services and consulting firms earlier in her career. Hattori sits on the Board of FWD Group, a leading Pan Asia insurance business.
Kyoko Hattori says: “Joining Pace Gallery and inaugurating Pace Tokyo fills me with boundless excitement. It's a privilege to play a role in fostering deeper connections between Japanese collectors and museums with the global art landscape, and elevating Japan to the epicenter of culture and art market in Asia.”
Samanthe Rubell, President of Pace Gallery, says: “Kyoko brings not only her years of experience in the Japanese and global art market to Pace, but also her deep relationships with curators, collectors, and artists throughout Japan and around the world. Her amazing energy and knowledge will be a great addition to Pace. Kyoko and her team will bring the vitality and depth of both contemporary and historic culture of Japan to our entire community.”
Founded in 1960, Pace has a unique history within the international art world. Its roster includes legendary 20th century figures such as Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Jean Dubuffet, and Louise Nevelson, along with Jeff Koons, James Turrell, Yoshitomo Nara, Lee Ufan, Mary Corse, Loie Hollowell, and many other contemporary artists. In the last few years, Pace has opened several new galleries, including a base in Los Angeles and an expanded space in Seoul, and it has welcomed numerous new artists to its program, including Kylie Manning and Maysha Mohamedi, as well as the estates of Paul Thek and John Wesley.
