Intense virtual world sent from abroad by Team 4...this exhibition includes painting, sculpture and installation.

Seiko Omori presents her two dimensional works combining illustrations that she used to use for women's magazine works and images of flowers and plants. Small craft items are also on display. Opening Party: May 9th (Fri) 18:00-20:00

Exhibition by 4th year students in the printing department at Tokyo Zokei University.

A. R. Penck was born in the former East Germany. His work is rooted in primitive motifs and old representational symbols and words. Despite a large-scale solo exhibition of his work that was held at the Setagaya Art Museum in 1997-8, his work is still comparatively little known in Japan. This exhibition, in cooperation with his principal gallery in Cologne, Galerie Michael Werner, will present a selection of Penck's work, focusing particularly on his stick figures, with work from the 1970s to the present.

Asa no Kai Ningyocho exhibition made up mainly of artists from the painting department of Asagaya Art College. Opening Party: May 12th (Mon) 17:00

[Image: "Self Mandala -Banquet-" Oil]

[Image: Isao Fujii]

Yamaguchi's rich, poetic oil paintings of nature scenes depict a world whose gentleness has long been forgotten in the midst of the modern city.

Kokin is an artist, who is known for exhibitions in hotel lobbies of Tokyo as well as mural production in a three-star restaurant. Being made with materials like Japanese lacquer, acrylic and silver powder, Kokin's works emanate modern airiness and nature of Japanese people.

[Image: "Very Very", 130 x 200cm]

For this exhibition, Uchida is showing around 25 mixed media works of acrylic, stone implements and pastels on paper, including some from a series entitled "Kaminariiwa Song Series". Sugawara will show around 150 pieces including Shigaraki ash-glazed earthenware pipes, ceramic vessels and flower vases.

[Image: Previous installation view]

3 years after 2005's "Haginowatarikaitaku", this exhibition features paths leading off to the sea.

This artist has gained a broad fan base for her depictions of mysterious scenes lurking in daily urban scenes. This is her first solo exhibition comprising large scale paintings. Sleeping people can be found in her works of parks and highways, as the title indicates. These sleeping people are all completely exposed and sleeping as if gazing at the endless sky above. Her paintings are composed of bold colors and express a mysterious world, balanced between suggested disorder and a premonition of quietude to follow.

The human figures depicted in the works of Tai Ogawa are far from what we could conceivably call human beings - rather, they are mere motifs that are often imbued with animalistic qualities. The use of vivid colors in these images of "human beings" emphasizes their monstrous quality, suggesting the cruel, possibly barbaric side of humanity. Ogawa renders abnormality into visible form, undermining what could be behind what we see, and how we appear. This is Ogawa's first solo exhibition at this gallery, presenting a series of works consisting of cutout faces. Opening Party: April 5th from 20:00

Kanagawa Tama Art Group Exhibition 2008 -Gallery 1F -Oil painting, watercolor, nihonga, sumi-ink drawing, printmaking, sculpture, craft. -70 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first exhibition day. 15th 2020 Association Exhibition -Gallery 2F -Oil painting, nihonga -20 works -Opens at 12:00 on the first exhibition day. 44th Representational Art Exhibition -Gallery 3F A -Representational art -170 works -Opens at 14:00 on the first exhibition day. 33th Hama Groupe Exhibition -Gallery 3F B -Photography -90 works -Opens at 12:00 on the first exhibition day. 2008 Spring JAG Exhibition -Organized by Nihon Geijutsu-ka Kyokai -Gallery 3F C -Painting, nihonga, sumi-ink drawing, 2D craft -130 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first exhibition day.

Around 100 landscape sketches by members of the Efukeikai, sizes 4-8 watercolors.

This exhibition showcases the richness, quality and volume of the museum's collection, which includes about 10,000 pieces primarily of modern Japanese art. The exhibition will present works that are normally difficult to get displayed. Simultaneous exhibitions will be held at the Hayama, Kamakura and Kamakura annex museums, which altogether will number about 500-600 works. [Image: Tamako Kataoka "Hokusai Katsushika」(1971)]

This exhibition showcases the richness, quality and volume of the museum's collection, which includes about 10,000 pieces primarily of modern Japanese art. The exhibition will present works that are normally difficult to get displayed. Simultaneous exhibitions will be held at the Hayama, Kamakura and Kamakura annex museums, which altogether will number about 500-600 works.

Selected works from the large collection of the Museum of Modern Art, Hayama, the Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura, and Kamakura Annex will be exhibited simultaneously. Around 500 to 600 works will be on display in total. Related Events "Kanagawa Museum Tour Guided by the Museum Director" (1) April 5th (Sat) 10:00-15:00 Toshio Yamanashi x Noriaki Kitazawa (art critic) (2) March 3rd (Sat) 10:00-15:00 Toshio Yamanashi x Kunio Motoe (professor/ Tama Art University, director/ Fuchu Art Museum) Location & Schedule: 10:00-11:00 Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura (meet at the admission) 11:30-12:00 Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura Annex (meet at 1F entrance) 14:00-15:00 Museum of Modern Art, Hayama (meet at the entrance) *Participants are responsible for traveling between venues by public transportation. (JR: Kamakura to Izu ¥150, Bus ¥240/ one way) Capacity: 30 people each No additional cost required to attend this trip. Reservations required. Booking: Send fax to 046-875-2968, "Museum Tour" desk. Reserve by April 1st (Tue) for Tour (1) and by the 29th (Tue) for Tour (2). "Gallery Talk by Museum Curator" April 19th (Sat) 15:00-, May 10th (Sat) 15:00 No reservation required. Free. Exhibition ticket required.

During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate was patron to artists from the Kano and Sumiyoshi schools as well as folk etching and ukiyo-e artists, all of whom were frequently commissioned for work. Before long, an artistic exchange that transcended the boundaries between warrior and commoner began to gain momentum, and many masterpieces emerged from a process of mutual inspiration among artists of different stripes, contributing to the lively flowering of Edo artistic culture. In this exhibition, pieces from the museum's collection that reflected both public and private will be on display. In addition, folding screens will be on view at the "zashiki (Japanese tatami room) corner." Related events: Talk series on Japanese Art Experts on various fields of art represented in the museum's collection will be invited to share their expertise with the audience. April 12th (Sat) "Tawaraya Sotatsu" Keiko Nakamachi (professor, Jissen Women's University) April 26th (Sat) "The joy of Edo paintings" Satoru Sakakibara (professor, Gunma Prefectural Women's University) May 3rd (Sat) "Harunobu Suzuki" Tadao Kobayashi (professor, Gakushuin University) May 5th (Mon, national holiday) "Hikone folding screens and Kano Naganobu" Taizo Kuroda (chief curator, Idemitsu Museum) May 10th (Sat) "Muromachi era Sumi ink paintings and the West: on the trail of Kanto Sumi paintings" Masahiko Aizawa (professor, Seijo University) May 17th (Sat) "The 18th century Kyoto art world" Yasuhiro Sato (professor, Tokyo University) Each talk starts at 14:00 and lasts for 2 hours. Takes place in the lecture hall of the museum. Admission is free and available to the first 100 visitors.

4th installment in yearly series of exhibitions featuring artists living in Mitaka working in a variety of media.

Group exhibition of artists from different generations and working in different styles, 2D works and paintings. This time, the artists have split the exhibition into two periods among themselves according to whether they are "drinking at the beach" types or "drinking in the jungle" types (of course, some of them are teetotalers).

This is a retrospective exhibition on landscape artist Kaii Higashiyama, born in 1908. He established a unique style characterized by planarity and simplicity as can be seen in his representative work "path," after graduating from Tokyo Art University, studying in Germany and showing in the Bunten exhibition. He continued on to leave a deep impression in the postwar Nihon-ga field through works such as the partition paintings at Toshodaiji Temple Mieido Hall that are clear and understandable yet deeply spiritual. His works emerged from his most intimate emotions and a thorough contemplation of nature, and followed the times at the same time as being rooted in Japanese tradition. This exhibition features approximately 100 representative works and 53 sketches and studies presented in seven parts for an in-depth study of this artist lifework. [Image: "Path" (1950) National Museum of Modern Art collection]

This exhibition displays various works on the theme of the goddess Venus, dating from antiquity through the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. The exhibition, with its selection of approximately 70 paintings, sculptures, and decorative art works, reveals how the myth of Venus stimulated and inspired the artists of antiquity. It will also consider ways in which Venus iconography was revived and developed during the Renaissance resurrection of classical culture. Thanks to the generous cooperation of the Florence Museums Association, we have been able to include the Venere di Urbino, a masterpiece by the major Venetian painter Titian, from the Uffizi Gallery. Images of Venus from other districts of Italy will also be displayed in this exhibition. [Image: Titian “Venus of Urbino” (1538) Oil on canvas, 119 × 165ccm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence Photo: Antonio Quattrone]

This exhibition presents a wide range of works created by students at Tama Art University and Musashino Art University. Based on the theme of "fictional creatures", the exhibition has something of a rabid insanity behind it...

"Scenes relating to water" is the overall theme of this artist's work. She emphasizes the atmospheric aspect of painting, capturing subtleties and visualizing the basic sensuous elements of life such as sound, smell, and temperature.

Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art changes their permanent collection display four times a year. The current exhibition in the main building presents works by artists that are from or lived in Yamanashi, depicting beautiful and graceful scenes in spring. In the Western art gallery, prints by German expressionist Kathe Kollwitz and Ernst Barlach and paintings by Millet and other Barbizon school painters are on display.

"Sakura" Exhibition Around 30 oil and ink paintings created using unique techniques. -Location: Exhibition Room B, 1F -Dates & Times: May 12th (Mon)-May 18th (Sun) 9:00-21:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 19:00 on the last day. -Contact: Shoga Vok:An 045-902-6014 "20th Le Copine Painting" Exhibition Around 60 oil paintings by 12 artists studying under Shotaro Shimizu. -Location: Exhibition Room A, 1F -Dates & Times: May 13th (Tue)-May 18th (Sun) 10:00-17:00. Opens at 10:00 on the first day and closes at 16:30 on the last day. -Contact: Le Copine 045-971-2781 "Atelier Utsukushigaoka" Exhibition Centering mainly on oil paintings, this exhibition showcases about 20 works that reflect each member's state of mind. -Location: Exhibition Room A, 2F -Dates & Times: May 13th (Tue)-May 18th (Sun) 10:30-16:30. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 16:00 on the last day. -Contact: Atelier Utsukushigaoka 045-901-7000 "Aoba Ink Painting Group" Exhibition About 45 Chinese ink paintings by 10 members studying under Chinese painter Wang Kai. -Location: Exhibition Room B, 2F -Dates & Times: May 14th (Wed)-May 18th (Sun) 10:00-17:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 15:00 on the last day. -Contact: Japan-China International Painting Association 045-974-2226

Both Tsuchiya and Fujitani graduated from the painting department of Musashino Art University in 2005. This exhibition features their works from 2005 and after, focusing mainly on painting.

Tokusen Gallery -Tatsuya Ishiodori nihonga exhibition -Senshinkai tea ceremony implements exhibition Bijutsu Salon -Sotokai four-person exhibition Art Square -4th "Sekijunkai" stone sculpture exhibition Craft Salon -Kiminori Ota dyeing exhibition Main Block/Annex 7th floor Gallery -Nihonga Masters print exhibition (until May 18th)

The title "Toukon" roughly translates into "small but motivated soul." This exhibition features a variety of works that are tiny but surely light up your heart. All the works are smaller than the size of a matchbox.

"Ach so" is one of the few expressions in both Japanese and German that are used in both languages to express surprise. Germans say "ach so!" when they unexpectedly learn something new, while Japanese say "ah so" when surprised at something they had not previously known. Same expression, similar situation, two different cultures. Contemporary art aims at the realization of something new, folded into a new experience or sensation, expressed through a novel medium. This is why the artists chose this title for this exhibition. They hope many visitors to the exhibition will find some sense of wonder and surprise, filling the venue space with a chorus of "ach so" and "ah, so!" Opening Party: May 10th (Sat) 17:00-19:00

Opening Reception: April 17th (Thurs) 18:00-20:00 The artist will be present at the opening.

Between May 1st and 23rd, we will be showing works by Hiroshi Sugito and Atsushi Fukui, Terry Winters, Satoshi Hirose, Rieko Otake and photographs by Tamami Hitsuda who is also currently holding a solo exhibition in Tomio Koyama Gallery, Kiyosumi. [Image: 「Untitled-4」(2006) ©Hiroshi Sugito]

Opening party: May 12th (Mon) 17:00-18:30

[Image: "A Hundred Stories - Zodiac (Dragon)" (2008) Oil, tempera on paper & board, 18cm (dia.)]

Landscape painting flourished at the end of 19th century. More than a century later, modern landscape and methods of depicting it have changed considerably. Started in April 1999, this is the 10th edition of the exhibition, in which new-generation artists working in various media tackles issues in contemporary representation and portrayal. -Part 1 Group Exhibition Date: April 28th (Mon)-May 3rd (Sat) Artists: Azusa Hayashi, Ayako Kuno, Naoko Noro, Madoka Kaneko -Part 2 8kb "Anxiety" Date: May 5th (Mon)-May 10th (Sat) -Part 3 Kaori Kojima "Roundabout" Date: May 12th (Mon)-May 17th (Sat) -Part 4 Installation Live Date, Time & Artists: May 19th (Mon)-May 21st (Wed) 12:00-20:30 Mai Mochida "Night Voyage" May 22nd (Thur)-May 24th (Sat) 12:00-20:30 Akinori Sakai "Difference & Repetition" [Image: Ayako Kuno]

Opening Reception: May 12th (Mon) 17:00-19:00 [Image: "Planet with V-shaped Steel Tower" (2006) Acrylic on canvas 60 × 72.7cm ]

Ishizuka's work is frequently used in Soji Shimada's books. Her work always stirs up strong visceral sensations and subconscious reactions in her audience. This is her first solo exhibition at this venue. [Image: "The Hill" Acrylic 15.8 × 22.7cm]

Celebrating the museum's 20th anniversary its reopening after a renewal program, this exhibition presents 175 masterpieces from the museum collection along with an introduction to the museum's 60 years of history. Related Events: -Gallery Talk: April 26th (Sat), May 17th (Sat), 13:30-14:30 Location: Exhibition space (admission ticket required) -Evening Gallery Talk: April 25th (Fri), May 2nd (Fri), 9th (Fri), 16th (Fri), 23rd (Fri), 18:00-18:20 Location: Exhibition space (admission ticket required) -Workshop & Lecture "Feeling the Light - the Beauty of Watercolors" May 11th (Sun) 10:00-16:30 Lecturer: Akira Yanagida (painter) Location: Exhibition space, and around the Senba Lake. -Art Seminar for Educators: May 24th (Sat) 10:15-15:00 Location: Lecture Room (basement level) and exhibition space For kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school teachers. Reservation required. -1st Art Academy "Studies on Body Expression" May 24th (Sat) 10:30-12:00 Lecturer: Tsuyoshi Shima (Ibaraki University) Location: Lecture room (basement level) For students of Ibaraki University as well as the general public. -Museum Theater "Dunhuang" April 27th (Sun) 13:30- Location: Lecture Hall (basement level) Capacity: 250 people Free. -Hey! Museum Kids (exhibition tour and workshop): April 26th (Sat), May 10th (Sat), 10:00-12:00 Location: Lecture room and exhibition space (admission ticket required, free for high school students and younger) -Golden Week Special Event: "Hello! Museum: Exploring the Collection" May 3rd (Sat), 4th (Sun), 5th (Mon/ Holiday), 13:30 Location: Art Forum Screening Corner Free, special stickers available for participants. [Image: Claude Monet "Grotte de Part-Domois" (1886) Oil on canvas 65 x 83cm]

The Edo period lasted for more than 250 years, during which time several formidable painters came to prominence, especially in the 18th century, contributing to a golden age in the visual arts. Jakuchu, Oukyo, Rosetsu, Daiga and Shohaku were all major figures belonging to this elite Edo coterie of artists, and who have in recent years come to be much appreciated by the public. The Kano school, however, has a rather stiff and formal reputation, in stark opposition to the aforementioned artists, but even the masterworks of the Kano school were produced out of a solid grounding in a similar technique. This exhibition introduces work by the representative painters of 18th century Japan, from Jakuchu up to the Kano school.

Maddelena Sisto (born 1951 in Alexandria, passed away 2000 in Milan) was a world-renowned illustrator who worked with magazines like Italian Vogue and Elle Deco, and was also something of a legend in the Italian fashion world. For 30 years since the 70's, Sisto expressed the zeitgeist through her work with remarkable flair. Unfortunately, her prolific career was cut short In 2000, when she fell victim to cancer and passed away shortly after. This show is a traveling exhibition that was inaugurated in 2004 at the Milan Triennale, organized by Franca Sozzani, the charismatic editor of Italian Vogue. Now arriving in Japan, it has been extremely well-received in Italy owing to its comprehensive documentation of changing times through the medium of fashion. About 1000 works by Sisto will be on display, including around 100 original watercolors on the subject of fashion and design, as well as art objects, sculptures, and photographs. In these autographed works, Sisto captured and reflected the spirit of an age through her astute illustrations, infused not only with her exceptional talent, but also her sharp eye for irony.

This exhibition presents the richly colored worlds of two great painters of the twentieth century: Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947). The two stood out amidst the emerging new art movements of the time, and their influence continues to this day. In the course of establishing their own unique artistic styles, both eventually chose southern France as the place to pursue their art. Matisse settled for extended periods in Nice and Venice, while Bonnard settled in Le Cannet near Cannes. In the bright sunlight of the Mediterranean coast, their art deepened and matured with palettes that reflected the vitality of life itself. Matisse and Bonnard also built a lifelong friendship. In their letters, they exchanged ideas on painting as well as news about their respective families and the happenings around them. For this exhibition the museum has received a generous loan of important works from the Matistse and Bonnard families, from two Matisse museums in Nice and Le Cateau-Cambrésis, and other domestic and overseas museums including the Pompidou Center and private collections. Owing to their support, the museum has been able to assemble this exhibition of approximately 120 works. Photographs of Matisse and Bonnard at work, photographs taken by Bonnard and other items are also on display. The exhibition catalog contains Japanese translations of the letters exchanged by the two artists. Lectures: "Bonnard's Paris and the Mediterranean" April 5th (Sat) 14:00-16:00 Norio Shimada (Bridgestone Museum of Art/ Art historian) "Henri Matisse and th 20th Century American Art" April 19th (Sat) 14:00-16:00 Masayuki Tanaka (Mosashino Art University) "Environments Surrounding Matisse and Bonnard" May 10th (Sat) 14:00-16:00 Haruki Yaegashi (Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art/ Art historian) [Image: Pierre Bonnard "Coin de table" (1935) Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris]

Works newly added to the museum collection in 2006 and 2007 will be introduced. [Image: Norihiko Saito "Water Land-7"]

Amid the mess of reckless change in the world today, Kojiro's still lifes and landscape paintings emanate a calm and stability all his own. Kojiro inherits a venerable tradition among Japanese artists resident in Paris, which city's Museum of Modern Art contains the work of Tsuguharu Fujita, Shikanosuke Oka and Kiyoshi Hasegawa. In Japan, Kojiro has continued to attract a strong following and critical accolades without having exhibited institutionally. In recent years, in addition to taking inspiration from "primitive poetry," Kojiro has taken on murals, religious Christian iconography and other icons in his work. This exhibition showcases his small-scale 2D work and objets d'art. Around 130 works, mostly of oil paintings, will be on display. -Gallery Talk Dates & Time: May 10th (Sat) & May 17th (Sat) 14:00-

Chagall was born to a Jewish family in Vitebsk, a city in western Russia, after which he moved successively to Moscow, Berlin, Paris and New York. He availed himself of a spectacular palette of color in his work, coupled with an imagination that knew no limitations, constantly dreaming up pictorial worlds that transcended art and appeared to approach the sublime. The violinists, villagers, wedding ceremonies and festivals, cows, goats and chickens that populate his work were subjects taken from his lingering childhood memories in Vitebsk. Talks and other related events will also be held. Check website for more details.

Natsunori Nakanishi (1935-) continues to question what painting means to us today. His work is highly acclaimed for its splendid brush strokes that attempt to materialize the qualities of light. This exhibition introduces the beauty of Nakanishi's work, presenting his recent paintings and drawings for the first time in public. -Lecture "A Place for a Painting, Works by Natsunori Nakanishi" April 19th (Sat) 14:00 Lecturer: Shuji Takashina (critic/ director of Ohara Art Museum) -Gallery Talk April 12th (Sat), April 23rd (Wed), May 16th (Fri), from 14:00 [Image: "Back, White Edge VI" Detail (2007)]

Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art changes their permanent collection display four times a year. The current exhibition in the South Building presents paintings, prints and glass works by Hideo Hagiwara, who passed away last fall. This is a retrospective exhibition of this artist presenting around 40 masterpieces. Prints, antiques, and craft works that Hagiwara collected over the years are also on display.

Born in Chiba prefecture, the artist studied under Masaaki Horie and Gaho Hashimoto. This exhibition presents Japanese-style paintings by the artist, who was active from the later phase of Meiji period to Showa period.

Shimon Minamikawa's present exhibition, "Pink, Black...War and Peace", is informed by the artist's recent consideration of media imagery. Television news broadcasts include information about world events together with reports on various entertainment-related social happenings. When Minamikawa views such disjointed imagery, he considers these images as being in between "meaning" and "non-meaning". Positive or negative, the television images are simply images and the subsequent emptying of meaning leaves Minamikawa in an absurd position, particularly as he relies upon such representation to gain knowledge about the world. These images comprise Minamikawa's world of facts. Consciousness of this paradoxical situation - dependence upon "non-meaning" to provide a "sense" to the world - prompted him to work on the new body of paintings to be presented at the gallery. Opening reception : April 14th, 19:00 - 20:00 [Image: "Pink Tie, Newscaster (pink), Polka-dots" (2008) Acrylic on canvas 73 x 60.5cm]

An artist's talk will be held on Wednesday, May 7th, 17:30-18:30

This exhibition, held over the 2nd and 5th floors of Mizuma Gallery, has the structure and progression of a mountain expedition, posing the possibility of accident and encounters with natural phenomena...some measure of courage and strength may be necessary to lay this world open. Visitors to the exhibition will first encounter sliding door paintings, and then be invited to imagine the world that lies beyond what is actually drawn on the doors, beyond this world closed in on itself. This potentiality lying just at the edge of the work arouses the audience's desire to peer beyond it, to embark on a certain adventure of discovery and disclosure, eliciting both fear and delight from the audience. Tomoike herself has up until now not said much about her own work, hoping that audiences will apprehend some of her motivations through these new paintings and installations. [Image: Sliding door painting, title undecided (under construction), 2008, mixed media, 1820 x 5440mm]

Kitaura's characteristic styles are his child-like stormy scribbled brushwork and physical contrast between the thickness of such a fiercely applied paint and the smooth surface of his canvas. His whimsically chosen motifs, often human faces, flowers and flames, are depicted in a seemingly unrelated way. Kitaura portrays these motifs in the corners of his canvases in a passive manner, while at times he depicts them with great boldness. However, we will feel something is wrong if we view his work as innocent or naive as that of a child. If we look at his work more carefully, we might see the paradox between his apparent cynical rejection of painting and the acceptance of itself. Kitaura always belies with a poetic sense of humor the expectations of his audience, who tries to typecast his work with their own sense of values. Please enjoy his first solo exhibition at this venue. -Opening Reception Date & Time: May 2nd (Fri) 18:00-20:00

Reception Party: April 27th (Sun) 15:00-19:00

Oscar Oiwa (born 1965) is a satirical artist with a particularly strong narrative thread in his paintings, which often mask social commentary. Born after the war to parents who emigrated from Japan to Brazil, Oiwa is a second-generation Japanese Brazilian who first studied architecture at university, deepening his knowledge of urban conditions and environments. Growing up in an environment that nurtured his love for and familiarity with art, Oiwa then embarked on his career as a visual artist. While still a student, he mounted his first solo exhibition in Rio de Janeiro in 1985, and participated in the 21st Sao Paolo Biennial in 1991. In his twenties, Oiwa moved to Tokyo in 1991, and began a series of intriguing work that turned its attention to the distinctive traits of this sprawling metropolis: swathes of factories spewing forth smoke, huge piles of abandoned consumer products, old rickety buildings and forgotten corners of the capital's shitamachi (old downtown districts) bathed in mellow sunlight... While also spending a two-year stint in London (1995-6), Oiwa spent a total of 11 years living and working in Tokyo, before relocating once again to New York, where he has been based since 2002. Held concurrently with this exhibition of his work at Gallery Teo is another show, "Oscar Oiwa - Dreams of a Sleeping World," organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoT), Tokyo.

This is a commemorative exhibition of Suzy Amakane's comic book to be published in May. Her original illustrations and paintings will be on display. More details will be announced later.

The Nerima Museum has built up a strong collection of works since its opening, many of which were generously donated by the artists' families or collectors. Although these works have previously been exhibited as part of its permanent collection, this particular exhibition focuses on the works of 6 artists that have recently been acquired. Audiences will get a chance to view these works up close and acquire a deeper appreciation for their characteristics and shifts in each artist's style. The below related events will be held Every Saturday from 14:00 for the duration of the exhibition. Advance reservation is not required, but admission is necessary. -Gallery talk by curators and museum volunteers April 5th, 12th, 26th, May 10th, 24th, 31st (sign language interpreters will be on hand on April 26th and May 24th) -Artist talks April 19th Kazue Tsuda May 3rd Seishi Kosaku May 17th Tatsuo Endo

In the 19th century, many of the Barbizon and French painters, such as Millet, depicted lives of farmers and scenes in the countryside. These particular subjects were nostalgic for people living in the urban areas, and in a way they portrayed utopia and all the gifts of nature. This style of painting influenced painters who were active in the salon scene, such as Julian du Pré and Lhermitte and the impressionists Monet and Pissaro. There were also Japanese painters who were inspired by the works by Millet and Pissaro, like Chu Asai, Kiyoteru Kuroda, and Keiichiro Kume. Consequently, scenery from the countryside became part of these Japanese painters' major topics. This exhibition comprises a total of 150 masterpieces by modern Japanese painters as well as 19th century French painters, including two centerpieces, Millet's "Summer, the Gleaners" from the collection of the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art and Monet's "Grainstacks at Giverny; the Evening Sun" from the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama. Related Events -Lecture 1 "Rural Anthem: Granstacks by Millet and Monet" Lecturer: Norio Shimada (Bridgestone Museum Director) Date: May 4th (Sun) Where: Sougou Jisshu Shitsu No reservation required. Free. -Lecture 2 "Granstacks Seen in Modern Paintings" Lecturer: Kyoko Kagawa (Curator of this venue) Date: May 25th (Sun) Where: Sougou Jisshu Shitsu No reservation required. Free. -Gallery Talk by Museum Staff (3 times) Dates: April 19th, May 6th, May 17th/ 14:00 Where: Exhibition space, no reservation required, admission required. -Silver Art Lecture (2 times) Dates: May 6th, May 17th/ 13:00-13:30 Where: Sougou Jisshu Shitsu No reservation required. Free. Please check the museum's website for more information and other events details.

The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is pleased to present an exhibition of selections from its permanent collection of approximately 1,000 works. These will include artworks from the areas of painting, photography, video and installation, as well as recent acquisitions. Featured artists include Nobuyoshi Araki, Izumi Kato, Mika Kato, On Kawara, Yayoi Kusama, Kae Masuda, Yasumasa Morimura, Yoshitomo Nara, Kohei Nawa, Satoshi Ohno, Thiago Rocha Pitta, Wilhelm Sasnal, Malik Sidibe, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Adriana Varejão and Ai Weiwei. Also to be showcased are Sketch of Yodo River by Maruyama Oukyo from the Hara Rokuro Collection and a scale model of the newly expanded Hara Museum ARC. The expansion work is currently underway and is due to be completed in July. The renovation will include the new Kankai Pavilion, a gallery designed by Arata Isozaki dedicated to the Hara Rokuro Collection. Please see "About Kankai Pavilion" on museum website for details.

This is the second official event marking UK-Japan 2008 to be held at Paul Smith Space Gallery. Colorful, simple yet poetic, this artist is a well-regarded painter belonging to the Royal Academy.

We are pleased to announce the exhibition “sign/kehai”, with new works of Makiko Tanaka, an artist who works actively in a variety of media, such as pencil drawing, watercolor and installation. Although the expression of her imaginative world and emotional portraits are the main concerns of her work, she avoids an easy, facile “expressive style” and any justification of her subjectivity. Her fleeting but considerably detailed drawings symbolize her attempt to seize “the sign of existence=kehai”, and it acts as a conceptual map of herself. In this exhibition, Tanaka will show prints and oil paintings as well as pencil drawings. Opening reception: May 9th (Fri) 19:00-21:00 [Image: “Brooch” (2007), pencil, watercolor and paper, 79.5×109 cm © Makiko Tanaka Courtesy of Yumiko Chiba Associates]

This is Seonna Hong's first solo exhibition in Japan. [Image: Seonna Hong, "I am not Permanent" (2007), acrylic and paper on wood panel, 1829 x 1219 mm] ©2007 Seonna Hong All Rights Reserved.

This year's Index exhibition themed "destruction" is the fourth in the series. The exhibition is held annually in Kyoto and Tokyo with the support of student volunteers from Kyoto University of Art and Design, Art Studies and Cultural Production department. The exhibition aims to assist young promising artists in promoting their works. In addition, the organizers' hope is that the exhibition will shed light on today's significant social issues through the perceptive eyes of rich expressions of these talented artists. The theme "destruction" refers not only to outwardly violent destruction brought on by war and to the environment, but also to the internal disintegration of systems and and frameworks. The creative process is also closely linked to destruction. These artists' works focuses on the roles and effects of destruction, an unavoidable force in today's society. Opening Reception: May 2nd (Fri), 17:30- [Image: Kazuhito Matsumoto]

Opening Reception: March 15th (Sat) 18:00-20:00

The history of Japanese modern painting has evolved into something absolutely unique because of the coexistence of two styles, Nihon-ga (Japanese traditional painting) and Yo-ga (Western style oil painting). These styles were developed by artists based in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. This exhibition presents works by significant painters of the modern period as well as works by influential western painters such as Jean-Paul Laurens and Claude Monet. Exhibition Part I: March 15th (Sat) - April 27th (Sun), Part II: April 29th (Tue) - June 8th (Sun) [Image: Saburosuke Okada "Goyotsuta (five-leaf ivy)" (1909)]

"Devil Robots" have been getting a lot of attention from around the world lately, and are pleased to be curating this show, called "COUPLES". This exhibition will consist of 20 artists that Devil Robots have been keeping their eye on for some time. The 20 artists will be divided into 10 couples and collaborate on artwork together. Nobody knows which artist will be coupled with which, making this is an exciting event to look forward to! Maybe your favorite character will be transformed into something new! Original artwork ranging from 3D to 2D work will be on display. We definitely recommend that you come and see these unique pieces in person! *All the works are available for purchase.

In line with the four keywords "stories," "details," "art history" and "happiness," the Meguro Museum of Art presents selections from its collection.

The 1920s saw a new type of popular culture flourish in Japan under the Taisho democracy movement, accompanied by economic growth and international exchange. The world of art was influenced by just such a social climate; the artists of the time started exploring freer forms of expression. While young Japanese-style painters broadened their artistic horizons and cultivated their unique styles by researching Chinese and Western paintings, masters like Taikan Yokoyama and Seiho Takeuchi also fashioned entirely new painting methods unique to themselves. Shunkyo Yamamoto, for instance, applied photo-taking techniques to his work. This exhibiton presents approximately 50 paintings (in both Japanese and Western styles) by such artists who were active during the Taisho and Showa periods. [Image: Seiho Takeuchi "Spotted Cat"]

Statues, paintings, and other works will be brought from the Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara for this special commemorative exhibition. This temple is the headquarters of the Hosso School of Buddhism, and this year marks 1300 years since the one-time national capital Heijo-kyo was established in Nara. Please see website for details on related events.

Location: Exhibition Room 3

This exhibition takes a retrospective look back at the work of Takanori Kinoshita, a yo-ga (Japanese Western-style painting) artist who captured the elegance of the late Taisho and early Showa eras. This is the first such exhibition of a late Taisho/early Showa yoga artist mounted by the museum. During the late Taisho era, Kinoshita was admitted to the Nikakai and thereafter studied painting at the Ecole de Paris. Influenced primarily by Manet, Courbet, Vlaminck and Matisse, Kinoshita began to develop his own artistic idiom. After returning to Japan, he began to exhibit the results of this stint at the Nikakai and the Shunyokai exhibitions. Not content with absorbing late Impressionism, he began to incorporate elements from proletarian art movements and Surrealism into his work as well. In 1930 he founded the "1930 Association" together with Hiroshi Maeda, Yuzo Sa, Shozo Satomi and Zentaro Kojima, in order to further the spirit and individualism propagated by the Ecole de Paris. [Image: "Woman in a Yellow Dress" (1954) Oil on canvas 115.5 x 89.0cm]

Utsunomiya-born artist Takao Usui has been active in his hometown since graduating from the graduate school at Tsukuba University. Since the latter half of the 1990s, his painting style developed away from a penchant for geometric composition towards a spatial orientation, favoring pure colors and forms. In line with this shift, Usui sought a new type of expression in terms of perspective and shading, the most important elements in the production of a painting. For example, in a work like the one in which the repetition of arch-shaped forms gets eaten away by background colors, he attempted to create a sense of spatial composition by contrasting darker and lighter colors. He sometimes chose only bright colors (yellow and green-yellow) in order to successfully depict spatial depth. In the "Shoaling Beach" series, he rendered a beach with its shoals using abstract forms, combining effects obtained through the use of overhead views and floating cloud-like figures. Usui's world is filled with tranquility - suffused with the beauty of colors, the sensitivity of his expressions, his and poetic titles. -Artist Talk & Concert "Prominence in the Shallow Water" Date & Time: May 11th (Sun) & June 1st (Sun) 14:00- A ticket for either project exhibition or colleciton exhibition is required. [Image: "Shoaling Beach 0702" (2007)]

Amedeo Modigliani is known as a representative early twentieth century École de Paris artist who was active in the Montparnasse artist community. However, his interest in the simple rustic forms often seen in African and Southeast Asian art for inspiration is lesser known. This exhibition introduces a wide variety of works that trace the development of his expression that is deeply rooted in primitism. The works begin with his early "Cariatid" series, rich in influences from primitism, and end with his unique portraits. Approximately 150 oil paintings and sketches are on display. [Image: "Caryatides" (1914) Mixed media on paper. Collection of Joel D. Honigberg]

Yozo Hamaguchi's surreal works incorporating ordinary motifs such as lemons and nuts are on display. Location: Yozo Hamaguchi Memorial Gallery [Image: "Still Life, Pepper" (1955)]

Nishimura Gallery is pleased to present Chieko Oshie’s new works from May 13th (Tue) to June 14 (Sat). This is the 5th and the newest exhibition of this highly praised artist. Oshie Chieko was born in Osaka in 1969 and completed her master at Kyoto City University of Arts in 1995. While she was still a student, Oshie gathered attention by applying oil pastels on all over her canvas. Ever since coming across American pokeweeds, she has drawn familiar weeds and wild flowers, establishing her original style of painting from which her affection and closeness to these subject matters emanate. In 2001, she won Takashimaya Charitable Trust for Art and Culture Prize, VOCA Prize and Kyoto City Art Prize. After winning these prizes, she traveled through Europe and started drawing not only plants but also landscapes. She then stayed in Belgium from 2003 to 2005 as a scholar from the Bereau of Cultural Properties, producing a lot of nude drawings which she later exhibited at Nishimura Gallery. The 2007 exhibition "In the Forest" showcased her oil pastel works that depicted the dense atmosphere of dark green forest and the mountain ranges of Kumano. This time, Oshie is introducing her new works (10 oil paintings and 10 drawings) on the theme of "the forest". While "Laughing Mountain” and "Beyond the Mountain" capture various appearances of forests, the works like "Minori” and "Tawawa" depict ripe persimmons and citrus junos hanging heavily on branches in folding-screen-like compositions. Ohie's work always reflects her polite attitude toward her subjects, conveying her exquisite sensibility. [Image: "Tawawa" (2008) oil & oil pastel on canvas, 80.5 x 116.7cm]

From the museum's Japanese painting collection, approximately 30 works by the representative modern Japanese painters will be on display. -Children Art Lecture "The World of Modern Japanese Paintings" Date & Time: June 8th (Sun) 14:00-15:00 (Doors close at 13:30) Location: Gotoh Museum Auditorium (50 seats in order of arrival) Fee: Free This event is intended for junior high and elementary school students only.

Tsubaki-kai is a perennial artists' circle and exhibition group that celebrated its sixtieth anniversary in 2007, and the membership has changed over the years since its inception, with each group of artists' exhibitions representative of the Shiseido Gallery in each time period. The Sixth Tsubaki-kai, slated to get underway in 2007, features works by new members including Yasuko Iba, Chiharu Shiota, Masanori Sukenari, Kyotaro Hakamata, Naofumi Maruyama, and Miwa Yanagi. The second exhibition, Tsubaki-kai Exhibition 2008 —Trans-Figurative—, will present works by artists Chiharu Shiota, Kyotaro Hakamata, Naofumi Maruyama, and Miwa Yanagi. Only the Tsubaki-kai offers opportunities to experience the unusual combinations that will be brought out by these artists working in tandem for this year.

Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya will present a collection of works produced by artists-in-residence Matthias Schaller and Stephen Dean as the culmination of the TWS Aoyama: Creators-in-Residence program this spring. Schaller and Dean were invited to Tokyo as part of TWS's Invited Artists Program on the recommendations of international creators and curators. For this exhibition Schaller, endorsed by curator and art critic Germano Celant, will present one of his latest series, Purple Desks (2004-2007), which shows the Cardinal's office in the Roman Curia of the Vatican. Dean, endorsed by artist Vik Muniz, will present miniature videos of crowds and watercolors realized during his residency. Concurrently, TWS will hold the series exhibition "TEAM" (Tokyo Wonder Site Emerging Artists on Mezzanine). This time, Toshihiro Yashiro was selected to show his new works, "Kaitenkai" and "Time Traveler". -Opening Reception Date & Time: 4/12 (Sat) 18:00-20:00 Admission free (reservation not required) -Gallery Talk Matthias Schaller, Stephen Dean and Toshihiro Yashiro will explain their concepts and artistic processes in person while standing in front of their works at the site. With Japanese-English interpretation. Date & Time: April 13th (Sun) 16:00-17:00 Admission free (reservation not required) [Image: Matthias Schaller "Purple Desks Series: Vatican Secret Archives" (2004-2007) Photograph]

There is perhaps no more appropriate moniker for creator Tadanori Yokoo than "the king of adventure." He launched a successful career as a graphic designer in the 60s and the 70s, and later "retired" from commerical work during the 80s, turning instead to a late second career as a painter. Recently, he has also devoted himself to writing. A number of exhibitions have previously featured his work, but not many of them have focused on his "adventurous" side. This retrospective exhibition includes a total of 700 works, ranging from his graphic design period from the 60s, to his most recent works, shedding valuable light on his dramatic and varied career trajectory. Related Events: -April 26th (Sat) Opening Event: Outdoor Live Performance "From Pascals to the King of Adventure" -April 27th (Sun) Discussion 1: Tadanori Yokoo x Tadayasu Sakai -May 4th (Sun) Discussion 2: Tadanori Yokoo x Hiroshi Aramata -June 1st (Sun) Discussion 3: Tadanori Yokoo x Shohei Nakajo *Please check the website for more details. [Image: "Jules Verne's Ocean" (2006) Acrylic on canvas 227.3 x 181.3cm]

This year Galerie Taisei celebrates its fifteenth year as well as 120 years since the birth of twentieth century architectural master Le Corbusier. This exhibition will present creative sculptures by the architect and the unique activities of the gallery in a three-part exhibition series. Part 1: Le Corbusier the Painter December 3rd, 2007 - February 8th, 2008 Part 2: Le Corbusier The Painter and Architect: Integrating the disciplines February 18th - April 11th, 2008 Part 3: Le Corbusier Expanding his Architecture May 21st - June 20th, 2008

The Art Festival for World Peace is an international event that seeks ways to make contributions to world peace through art. Held once in four years, in Seoul in 2000 and Shanghai in 2004, the festival has come to Japan this year, 2008. Gallery Bijutsu Sekai is proud to hold this preview exhibition that will give visitors a foretaste of the upcoming festival.

[Image: "Green Landscape with eight circles" (2008)]

After the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan was signed in 1858, official trade between these two countries began. This so-called "Harris Treaty" became a turning point for Japan in her drive towards modernization. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Harris Treaty. Shedding light on the Commodore of the U.S. Navy, Matthew C. Perry, and the first United States Consul General, Townsend Harris, this exhibition introduces the early years and the history of US-Japan relations through a survey of about 250 documents and artifacts from the period. Works on display include the extant personal effects and belongings of Perry and Harris, a portrait painting of Perry by Heine, who joined their expedition to Japan, the original manuscript of the treaty, and many other historical items. -Lecture "Two Men at the Dawn of U.S.-Japan Relations" by Motohiko Izawa April 27th (Sun) 14:00-15:30 Capacity: 400 people Free. To attend, send a reply-paid postcard to the Edo-Tokyo Museum, "Perry and Harris" exhibition lecture section by April 11th.

During Meiji period, Japan started advancing to Micronesian Islands. In parallel with the beginning of the World War I, Japan took over the islands and started to govern them by 1921. From Taisho period to the beginning of Showa period, a lot of Japanese painters and sculptors visited these Islands -- like the famous painter Gauguin did in order to escape from the advanced society and to research the culture on these islands