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Information on Galerie Tamenaga Kyoto’s “New Kyoto IMA KYOTO”

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Announcement of the Galerie Tamenaga Kyoto “New Kyoto IMA KYOTO” Exhibition ​
Gallery Tamenaga Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 20, 2025 Information about the Galerie Tamenaga Kyoto “New Kyoto IMA KYOTO” Saturday, November 15, 2025 – Sunday, December 14, 2025
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This fall, Gallery Tamenaga Kyoto will be holding the annually popular “New Kyoto” exhibition from Saturday, November 15th to Sunday, December 14th. This exhibition was launched in 2022 with the aim of promoting the appeal of young Japanese artists with ties to Kyoto, a city with a long history as a cultural center, and preserving their works for a thousand years to come. The four artists exhibiting this year’s, the fourth annual exhibition, are Kalua, Yui Komatsumoto, Masayoshi Nojo, and Chiharu Yakushigawa. Kalua, whose work explores the theme of life and death, expresses the vitality and transience of flowers with a wish for peace. Yui Komatsumoto superimposes the patterns of artificial mineral (Detroit agate) onto her own
experiences, questioning her own existence. Masayoshi Nojo, who uses silver leaf to depict light and shadow reminiscent of mirages and auroras, evokes images of nature slumbering in the subconscious. Chiharu Yakushigawa, who uses both hands and feet to create rich, colorful expressions in which different hues intertwine yet coexist independently. The “present” portrayals of four young Japanese artists will add color to this fall. Many people from Japan and abroad visit Kyoto to experience Japanese culture and history, but why not take this opportunity to take a moment to take a look at some of today’s young, talented Japanese artists? Their works may still be shining somewhere in Kyoto a thousand years from now. The ability to appreciate contemporary art with this thought in mind is one of the true joys of Kyoto. After touring Sanjusangendo and the National Museum, we hope you will take the time to appreciate the fresh sensibilities of these artists living in the present. -Exhibiting artists- Kalua Komatsumoto Yui Masayoshi Nojo Chiharu Yakushigawa Kalua Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 2000. He dropped out of the Department of Crafts at Tokyo University of the Arts and is currently studying at Keio University’s correspondence course. He is an artist who uses acrylic paint to express the vitality and transience of objects, with the fundamental theme of “life and death.” In his “Flower” series, released in 2024, he imbued his work with the motif of flowers as a wish for peace. This is a representative series that expresses the hope that the unbearable feelings and undirected emotions caused by the tragic incidents that occur every day will find some relief. Other notable works include “Jake,” a painting of his beloved dog. Yui Komatsumoto Born in Mie Prefecture in 1993. Graduated from the Graduate School of Kyoto University of Arts (formerly Kyoto University of Art and Design), majoring in oil painting (printmaking) in the Fine Arts and Crafts department. In today’s society, where the spread of social media has made the appearances and lives of others visible on a daily basis, the boundaries between self and other have become blurred, and even one’s own self-worth and image tend to be influenced by the gazes and evaluations of others. In this era, Komatsumoto attempts to depict the anxieties and conflicts that lurk deep within the soul. The layered patterns in the paintings, created using a technique known as “tarashikomi” (spraying) with oil and acrylic paint, are inspired by Detroit agate, an artificial mineral discovered by chance in an automobile factory in Detroit, USA. The agate-like patterns symbolize the many layers of emotion that build up within Komatsumoto’s own inner self. In this delicate depiction of emotional fluctuations, Komatsumoto’s world conveys to the viewer the quiet yet powerful determination of people who, despite being at the mercy of daily changing emotions, maintain their composure and live “today.” Masayoshi NOJO Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1989. In 2015, completed the master’s program in Japanese painting at Kyoto University of Art and Design (formerly Kyoto University of Art and Design). Using a unique, meticulous technique that blends modern visual language with traditional Japanese techniques, Nojo explores the themes of memory and the passage of time. By deconstructing and reconstructing the images of her own photographs, she dilutes the factuality and concreteness inherent in photographs, creating scenes that seem familiar to everyone. Nojo’s unique scenes connect with memories deep within the viewer, evoking a sense of déjà vu. Through her works, viewers visually experience the relationship between a sense of time and memory. The silver leaf applied across the entire canvas is reminiscent of the Edo Rinpa school founded by Sakai Hōitsu, but its appearance responds sensitively to the weather and time of day, changing from moment to moment. Nojo’s works, whose appearance changes depending on the environment, are further accentuated by the use of leaf, giving the viewer the impression of seeing a mirage. Chiharu YAKUSHIGAWA Born in Shiga Prefecture in 1989. Completed the Master’s program in Art at the Graduate School of Art and Design, Kyoto Seika University. He creates a variety of unique paintings that utilize his body, captivating viewers with his vivid colors and strokes. In his “rub” series, he paints directly on his hands and feet using his own pigment paints, which are made using the classical technique of kneaded tempera. The boundaries between colors emerge as boundaries that allow for mutual acceptance between self and other, or between different things. He also continues to select and present a variety of expressive methods for each of his works, such as his “knock” series, which explores the relationship between self and other in a society where social media is so advanced, focusing on the act of knocking as a signal before entering the other person’s territory. 《Exhibition overview》 “New Kyoto (Imakyoto) – From the Ancient Capital to a Thousand Years Ahead” [Dates] Saturday, November 15th – Sunday, December 14th [Venue] Galerie Tamenaga Kyoto 265-7 Kamihorizumecho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City TEL 075-532-3001 [Time] 11:00-19:00 (Open every day during the exhibition period) 【HP】 Image
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