Yuka Contemporary Opens

There’s a new gallery in town. TAB was at the opening of YUKA Contemporary and its inaugural exhibition by Kiichiro Adachi.

James Jack

It was a mysterious night — the sky turned purple at sunset as we strolled by the Kanda River towards YUKA Contemporary gallery.

The gallery space has been newly renovated by friends of the owner in a neighborhood near Waseda University that was formerly renowned for washi (Japanese paper) production.

What’s that…? Live birds inside this ball of living plants?

Enjoy a peek at these silent birds’ ball of paradise.

The main attraction was this live armadillo-like work that slowly circles around the gallery floor. I couldn’t help feel a bit sad for it on its tether.

But I noticed that the piece has gained colors and sprouted flowers since it was last displayed at ZAIM earlier this year. The artist commented that the new plants came with the change in seasons.

The owner Yuka Tsuruno and the artist Adachi Kiichiro pose for a celebratory photo. Tsuruno is drawing upon her experience living in New York and wants her gallery to be a crossing point for international artist exchanges.

And don’t forget Adachi’s new works on paper. Displaying natural forms combined with artificial colors, they filled the gallery to the brim.

The opening came to an abrupt halt when the mawari-san rolled up.

James Jack

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James Jack

Grown in the rocky soil of New York City James Jack was transplanted to Tokyo via a Hawaiian orchid. He is currently a Crown Prince Akihito Scholar at Tokyo University of the Arts researching contemporary art. Jack comes to writing as an artist who regularly shows drawings, photo-based work and installations. His work has appeared in magazines such as Asian Art News, NY Arts, Kyoto Journal: Perspectives on Asia, and M: The New York Art World. <a href="http://www.jamesjack.org">www.jamesjack.org</a>

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