About Tetsuji Shibayama and ZeZe

Tetsuji Shibayama has over three decades of experience in international art management and investments as well as cross-cultural exchanges. An MBA from Harvard Business School, Shibayama first worked for several years in the Rockefeller family office in New York before returning to Japan to become Head of Sotheby’s Japan where he remained for over 10 years. Thereafter, he started his own consultancy AG Holdings, focusing on planning and managing corporate and private art collections, including art support programmes in his native Japan. More recently, he has dedicated himself to the education and promotion of young Japanese artists and art business entrepreneurs locally and abroad, with various university programmes and auction events.  He is one of the most experienced auctioneers with bilingual capability.

Also a Professor of Tea of the Enshu School, Shibayama has been practising Tea Ceremonies as a Tea Master for over 15 years where he is known by his ‘Tea Master’ name Sotetsu Shibayama. The opportunity to purchase a legendary brand comes rarely. In 2021, the opportunity arose for Shibayama to acquire the 400-year-old ZeZe ceramics brand located 15 km east of Kyoto. ZeZe was founded in the early 17th century as one of the few appointed ceramic makers to the Tokugawa Shogunate and their families with its wares used in Tea Ceremonies, hospitality occasions and Rituals for the Shoguns and their guests including members of Royal families and Samurai Lords. In the three years since acquiring ZeZe, Shibayama has taken time to respectfully consider the heritage and plan the future. His vision for ZeZe is to elevate the functionalities of its traditional Tea Ceremony ‘wares’ to become ‘objects d’art’ in the daily lives of discerning collectors and the aesthetic-conscious. 

Corporate Website: www.ag-h.net
ZeZe Website: www.zeze-art.com
Contact: Email | tshibayama@ag-h.net  Phone | +81-90-3062-5710

About Allison Thompson and AT Art & Interiors

Allison Thompson was born and raised in Western Canada. She has worked at numerous modern and contemporary art galleries with a strong focus on the curation of contemporary art. In 2014, Allison founded AT Art & Interiors. She has curated several large-scale exhibitions in gallery spaces in Asia and Canada, working closely with established and mid-career artists. Allison obtained her B.Sc. (Hons) at Kings College in London, England and has an M.A in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and New York City.

Allison is also an interior designer, with a Bachelor of Applied Design in Interior Design from LaSalle College Vancouver. Allison’s design approach is holistic, integrative and user-friendly, focusing on how a well-designed space can influence an individual’s experience. Although intrigued by many different design styles, Allison is particularly drawn to hospitality design that facilitates human interaction. Her latest hospitality projects in collaboration with The Good Design Group (www.thegooddesigngroup.com) are Letty Restaurant (www.pizzaletty.com) and Otie Bakehouse (www.otiebakes.com) set to open in Canada this month. 

Effective from June 1, Allison will relocate her art consultancy and interior design practice from BC, Canada to Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Company/Studio Website:  www.allisonthompson.xyz 
Contact: Email | atartandinteriors@gmail.com  Phone | +1-604-992-7204