TOHO LEO Co., Ltd.
TOHO LEO Announces Special Collaborative Project with World-Renowned Artist Theaster Gates at Contemporary Art Fair "Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)"
~ Introducing the New Outdoor VIP Lounge Terrace "Machiaishitsu (Waiting Room)" and an Exclusive Private Tour "Ceremony of Reconnection" at Ohara Sanso ~
TOHO LEO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Osaka; President: Minoru Yoshikawa; hereinafter "TOHO LEO") is pleased to announce its upcoming collaborative initiative with internationally acclaimed artist Theaster Gates at the contemporary art fair "Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)" held in Kyoto. As part of this collaboration curated by Theaster Gates, TOHO LEO will introduce a dedicated outdoor VIP lounge terrace, "Machiaishitsu (Waiting Room)," and host "Ceremony of Reconnection," an exclusive, private VIP tour set in the historic Ohara district of northern Kyoto.
■ Key Highlights
1. Production of the Outdoor VIP Lounge Terrace "Machiaishitsu (Waiting Room)"
Located on the 2nd-floor terrace of the Event Hall at the Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC Kyoto)-the venue for ACK-TOHO LEO and Theaster Gates present "Machiaishitsu (Waiting Room)," a dedicated outdoor terrace tailored for VIP guests. Visitors can enjoy light refreshments inspired by the natural and cultural charm of Kyoto’s Ohara region while relaxing in an ambient, thoughtfully curated setting.
-Location:Kyoto International Conference Center, Event Hall 2F, Outdoor Terrace (Adjacent to the VIP Lounge)
-Dates & Hours:Friday, November 6 - Monday, November 9
-Eligibility:ACK VIP Pass Holders
2. [VIP Private Tour] "Ceremony of Reconnection"
Set against the backdrop of "Ohara Sanso"-a prestigious guest villa harmoniously integrated with terraced rice fields and scenic satoyama landscapes-this premier private tour is limited to one group per time slot. Curated by Theaster Gates, the entire property-encompassing the mountain teahouse (Sankyo), rice paddies, traditional gardens, and waterfall-is transformed into a single expansive canvas for an immersive installation. Guests are invited to immerse themselves in the serene nature and heritage of Ohara for a truly unique and transformative art experience.
-Dates:Friday, November 6 - Monday, November 9
-Duration:Approx. 2 hours (including round-trip transit from ICC Kyoto via private chartered vehicle)
-Meeting Point:ACK Venue, Outdoor VIP Lounge Terrace "Machiaishitsu (Waiting Room)"
- Admission: Complimentary (Exclusive to VIP pass holders / Advance reservation required)
-Organized by:TOHO LEO Co., Ltd.
-In Collaboration with:Theaster Gates
■ Profiles: Venue & Artist
About Ohara Sanso
A distinguished guesthouse villa featuring gardens that blend seamlessly into the picturesque terraced rice paddies and satoyama landscapes of Ohara, Kyoto. Featuring an authentic teahouse (Sankyo), it has historically welcomed intellectuals, artists, and distinguished guests to contemplate and shape the cultural future of Kyoto. More than just architecture and landscaping, Ohara Sanso is uniquely conceived as a continuous, living artwork intertwined with the village of Ohara itself.
About Theaster Gates
Theaster Gates is an artist whose work moves between sculpture, installation, performance, and archival practice, treating form as a social, economic, and political condition rather than an autonomous aesthetic category. Trained in urban planning and the Japanese tradition of ceramics, he builds a practice at the intersection of craft, land, and civic infrastructure.
Recent solo exhibitions include the Smart Museum of Art, Chicago (2025); Albuquerque Foundation, Sintra, Portugal (2025); Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2024); Contemporary Art Museum Houston (2024); LUMA Foundation, Arles, France (2024 and 2023); New Museum, New York (2022); and Serpentine Pavilion, London (2022).
Gates is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees including the MOCA Legend Award (2025); Guggenheim Fellowship (2025); 39th World Cultural Council Award (2024); Isamu Noguchi Award (2023); Friedrich Kiesler Prize for Architecture and Art (2021); the Royal Institute of British Architects (2021); the World Economic Forum Crystal Award (2020); J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development (2018); Nasher Sculpture Prize (2018); Sprengel Museum Kurt Schwitters Prize (2017); and Artes Mundi 6 prize (2015).
■ About TOHO LEO Co., Ltd.
-Company Name:TOHO LEO Co., Ltd.
-Address:1-1-28 Uemachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan
-Representative:Minoru Yoshikawa, President & Representative Director
-Website: