In anticipation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the first-ever Olympic Agora will be on view from July 1 to August 15 and showcases various art installations of the Olympic spirit. Inspired by Greek public gathering places, the Olympic Agora will spread across Tokyo’s historic Nihonbashi district and also be made available through virtual tours. French artist Xavier Veilhan’s major commission, a permanent sculpture dedicated to the audience of the Games, leads the exhibition, alongside 16 photographs about the Olympics by Japanese artist Rinko Kawauchi, multimedia installations by Makoto Tojiki and Canadian studio Moment Factory, artworks by six Olympian and Paralympian artists-in-residence, as well as pieces from the permanent collections of the Olympic Museum.

The inaugural edition of Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK), originally scheduled to open on February 11, will now take place from November 5 to 7 at the Kyoto International Conference Center Event Hall. Hosted by the government of Kyoto Prefecture and the ACK Executive Committee, ACK will be the largest contemporary art fair in Japan, with a total of 54 participants, including 23 international galleries and 31 galleries based in Japan. The fair will be split into two main sections, with “Kyoto Meetings” represented by nine Japanese galleries featuring artists closely related to Kyoto, and “Gallery Collaborations,” which presents collaborative booths curated by Japanese and international galleries. Online access to ACK will also be available through a digital platform.

On June 25, Lausanne’s Musée de l’Elysée announced Hong Kong photographer Kurt Tong as the winner of the fourth edition of the Prix Elysée award, which recognizes the achievements of a mid-career photographer. Tong’s oeuvre expands the narrative possibilities of photography and has a thematic focus on the Asian diaspora. Tong’s research-based, winning project, titled Dear Franklin (2018– ), explores war, immigration, social mobility, and the artist’s cultural roots by delving into the semi-fictional life of an early-20th century Chinese man, Franklin Lung. Tong has previously won the Photography Book Now competition and the Hey, Hot Shot! Competition in 2009, as well as the prestigious Jerwood Photography Award in 2008. This edition of Prix Elysée was determined by the input of six judges including Clément Chéroux, Laurel Parker, Carla Sozzani, Michael G. Wilson, Tatyana Franck, and Michel Parmigiani.

Shanghai’s Museum of Art Pudong (MAP) will be open to the public on July 8, with an inaugural exhibition featuring works from the collection of Tate Modern. Located in the Lujiazui Central Business District, MAP sits across the Huangpu River from the private museums and galleries of the West Bund. The 13,000-square-meter public museum contains 13 exhibition halls, including two glass halls installed with LED panels and floor-to-ceiling windows. The white granite building is designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, who has made headlines with his other projects such as the Shenzhen Opera House and the National Museum of Qatar in Doha.

Taiwanese-American artist Lee Mingwei has won the art prize “Follow me Dada and Fluxus” from Dortmund’s Museum Ostwall, according to an announcement made on June 30. Based in Paris and New York, Lee’s interactive installations often invite forms of exchange between strangers. His interest in Zen Buddhist traditions and rituals “aligns his work with works of Fluxus artists in the museum collection,” according to the museum. Lee was selected from a total of eight nominations after a long discussion among the jury. His works will be featured in an exhibition at the museum in November.

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