Byungjun Kwon: ‘I want to break away from the passive, one-sided way of experiencing performances’

Byungjun Kwon, a South Korean artist whose practice spans sound, technology, and performance, has been selected for the 2025 Korean Artists Today project. Kwon began his career as a singer-songwriter in the 1990s, later earning a degree in Art Science from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and working as a hardware engineer at the Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music in Amsterdam. His works include immersive sound installations, custom-built instruments, and robotic stage machinery, with pieces such as 'Self-sounding Town Resonant Village' (2019) exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Busan. He is currently preparing a new project, 'Speak Slowly, and It Will Become a Song', for the Aichi Triennale in Japan.

Taiyo to Ame no Melody (Melody of Sun and Rain) at PALAS

Taiyo to Ame no Melody (Melody of Sun and Rain) at PALAS

The group exhibition *Taiyo to Ame no Melody (Melody of Sun and Rain)* opened at PALAS in Sydney, featuring new and recent works by artists Maureen Gallace, Trevor Shimizu, and Kazuyuki Takezaki. Curated by the Tokyo-based gallery Misako & Rosen, the show presents a contemplative dialogue between the three artists' distinct approaches to landscape and domestic scenes, running from February 7 through March 28, 2026.

Misato Sano’s Charming Wooden Dogs Are Carved With Personality

Miyagi-based artist Misato Sano creates distinctive wooden dog sculptures that serve as a form of self-portraiture. Her work, carved from camphor wood and finished with oil paint, uses exaggerated features and textured surfaces to express a range of emotions and personalities, from shy to silly, as a means of exploring and deepening self-love.

Restrained Emotions Simmer in Shinsuke Inoue’s Tender Wood Sculptures

Japanese artist Shinsuke Inoue creates small, emotionally resonant wood sculptures of human figures. His practice began about ten years ago when he carved a likeness of his child, sparking a dedicated focus on figurative woodcarving that captures universal human essence rather than specific portraits.

Korea and Japan to Collaborate on Pavilions at Venice Biennale

Arts Council Korea has revealed the program for its national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. Curated by Binna Choi and titled "Liberation Space: Fortress/Nest," the exhibition will feature artists Goen Choi and Hyeree Ro, exploring the historical period between the end of Japanese colonial rule and the establishment of separate Korean governments. A key feature is artist Goen Choi's work *Meridian*, which will physically extend copper pipes from the Korean Pavilion into the adjacent Japanese Pavilion, marking the first formal collaboration between the two nations' presentations at the Biennale.

αMプロジェクト2025‒2026「立ち止まり振り返る、そして前を向く vol.5 飯川雄大｜デコレータークラブ：すべて違う姿」 @ gallery αＭ

gallery αM in Tokyo is presenting the fifth edition of its αM Project 2025–2026 series, titled “Stop, Look Back, Face Forward. vol.5 Takehiro Iikawa: Decorator Crab－No Two Alike,” running from April 11 to June 13, 2026. The exhibition features works by artist Takehiro Iikawa, including pieces such as “Decorator Crab – Arrangement, Adjustment, Circulation” (2026) and “Decorator Crab – New Audience” (2026), with guest curator Aki Otsuki, a curator from the Ashiya City Museum of Art and History.

Anders Dickson: rot in the small season @ KAYOKOYUKI

アンダース・ディクソン：rot in the small season @ KAYOKOYUKI

American artist Anders Dickson is presenting a solo exhibition titled "rot in the small season" at KAYOKOYUKI gallery in Tokyo. Running from March 19 to May 2, 2026, the exhibition showcases Dickson's unique aesthetic through a series of new works and an immersive installation within the gallery space.

Kansong's Cultural Defense Exhibition Features National Treasure Vase

The Kansong Art Museum in Seoul has launched a special exhibition titled "Cultural Defense of the Nation: The Spirit of Our People Preserved Through Faith," showcasing 46 significant artifacts reclaimed by collector Chun Hyung-pil during the Japanese colonial period. The centerpiece of the show is a rare 18th-century white porcelain bottle decorated with underglaze blue, iron-red, and copper-red, which Chun famously acquired at the Gyeongseong Art Club auction in 1936. He outbid a prominent Japanese dealer with a record-breaking bid of 14,580 won—a sum equivalent to the price of 15 houses at the time—to prevent the treasure from leaving Korea.

Hong Kong artist inspired by swimming pools invites you to slow down

Hong Kong artist Chan Wai-lap is making waves this month with two major installations centered on his signature motif of public swimming pools and bathhouses. His latest projects include 'Mimimomo Pool (2026)', a commission by UBS for Art Basel Hong Kong, and 'Jeremy’s Bathhouse', a solo exhibition at the Oi! art space in North Point. The latter features over a thousand ceramic tiles and objects created in collaboration with artisans from Jingdezhen, transforming a greenhouse-like venue into a Japanese-style communal bath.

Nintendo Museum Opening Art Gallery In September 2025

Nintendo announced an expansion to the Nintendo Museum in Japan, with a new Art Gallery opening on September 3, 2025, on the second floor of the museum's Exhibition Building. The gallery will display a wide range of game artwork, including character illustrations and concept art from Nintendo's video game library.

Today or Tomorrow at Atelier 8.18: A Home Studio Exhibition

Artists Emiko Mizukami, Julie Sabey, Lena Sin, and Nicole Lau present 'Today or Tomorrow,' a home studio exhibition at Atelier 8.18, the living room of curator Kyla Bourgh. The show explores food's connection to culture, memory, and community through each artist's personal lens—from Sin's joyful table settings inspired by travels to Mizukami's fantasy narratives around Japanese preservation traditions, Sabey's childhood birthday party memories, and Lau's transformation of prepackaged foods into colorful artworks.

International Quilt Museum to host artist Wada, professor Dudley

The International Quilt Museum is hosting a special event titled 'An Evening of Boro' on April 24, featuring artist Yoshiko Wada and professor Sandra Dudley. The event includes a reception for the exhibition 'Boro: The Hidden and the Visible in Japanese Mended Textiles,' a lecture by Dudley, and a guided tour of the exhibition led by Wada, who served as guest curator. The event will be livestreamed for remote attendees.

In the Curator’s Words: At Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, a fusion of tradition and innovation

The Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum in San Diego has opened a new exhibition that blends traditional Japanese aesthetics with contemporary artistic innovation. The show, curated by a museum professional, features works that reinterpret classic forms and concepts through modern materials and perspectives.

Exhibition | 'News from Nowhere: Laboratory of Spring and Autumn Collection' at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, Tokyo, Japan

A new exhibition titled 'News from Nowhere: Laboratory of Spring and Autumn Collection' has opened at the SCAI THE BATHHOUSE gallery in Tokyo. The show presents a curated collection of works, though the specific artists involved are not detailed in the provided text.

Putting the “Me” in Anime: Self-Portrait in Iconic Anime and Manga Styles exhibit at Central Midtown Gallery

Central Midtown Gallery is hosting an exhibition titled 'Putting the ‘Me’ in Anime: Self-Portrait in Iconic Anime and Manga Styles.' The show features contemporary artists creating self-portraits that emulate the distinctive visual languages of major anime and manga series, blending personal identity with iconic pop culture aesthetics.

Museum of Narratives is rife with possibilities

The article reports on the opening and conceptual framework of the Museum of Narratives, a new institution in Japan dedicated to exploring and presenting stories through its collections and exhibitions. It emphasizes the museum's focus on narrative as a fundamental human and artistic practice, positioning it as a unique cultural destination.

6 of the world’s 100 most visited art museums are in Tokyo

Six museums in Tokyo have been ranked among the world's 100 most visited art museums, according to a report. The list, compiled by AECOM and the Themed Entertainment Association, highlights the city's significant cultural draw.

Students Showcase Their Artwork At New Gallery

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School students recently debuted a diverse exhibition at the newly opened Patricia B. O’Neill Student Art Gallery. The showcase features over 20 student works, including sculptures, photographs, and paintings that explore complex themes ranging from grief and eternal love to African mythology and ancient Japanese pottery techniques.

Two New Student-Curated Exhibits Open at USU Museum of Anthropology

Two new student-curated exhibitions have opened at the Utah State University Museum of Anthropology. "Japanese Fine Arts and Fashion," curated by Morgan Meyers, explores the connection between artistic expression and clothing traditions, particularly during Japan's Edo period. "Global Games: The Cross-Cultural Creation of Competition," curated by Benji Fowler-Merrell, examines the universal human desire for play and competition through interactive displays of historical games.

Manga Is a Pop Culture Phenomenon. It’s Also a Singular Art Form.

The New York Times publishes an article examining manga as both a global pop culture phenomenon and a distinct artistic medium. The piece explores how manga, originating in Japan, has evolved from a niche interest into a worldwide force, influencing entertainment, fashion, and visual storytelling. It highlights the unique visual language of manga—its panel layouts, expressive linework, and narrative pacing—that sets it apart from Western comics and other art forms.

First Recipients of the 'NCAR x AWARE Female Artist Research Fellowship' Announced

「NCAR×AWARE 女性アーティストリサーチフェローシップ」の第1回採択者が決定

The National Center for Art Research (NCAR) and Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions (AWARE) have announced the first recipients of their joint research fellowship dedicated to women artists in Japan. Sculptor and critic Nodoka Odawara and Tokyo Photographic Art Museum curator Yuri Yamada were selected from 19 applicants to conduct specialized research on marginalized female figures in Japanese art history. Odawara will focus on pioneering female sculptors Kamono Ota and Toko Kuhara, while Yamada will investigate early female photographers from the Meiji to early Showa eras, including Ryu Shima and Yoshino Hanawa.

SHIZUOKA World Theatre Festival 2026

SHIZUOKAせかい演劇祭2026

The Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) has announced the lineup for the SHIZUOKA World Theatre Festival 2026, scheduled to take place from April 25 to May 6, 2026. Under the artistic direction of Natsuki Ishigami, the festival will transform Shizuoka City into a sprawling stage, featuring international collaborations such as the Japanese premiere of 'The Tiger of Malaya' by Singapore’s Teater Ekamatra and the site-specific 'Eel Migration' involving local residents with Brazilian roots. The program also includes Satoshi Miyagi’s acclaimed production of 'Medea' and contemporary works addressing gender, labor, and social justice.

29th Art Film Festival @ Aichi Arts Center 12th Floor Art Space A

第29回アートフィルム・フェスティバル @ 愛知芸術文化センター12階アートスペースA

The 29th Art Film Festival will take place on June 15, 2025, at the Aichi Arts Center's Art Space A in Nagoya, Japan. Organized by the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, the festival features a special screening program centered on the film collective Kūzoku. Highlights include the premiere of Katsuya Tomita's 'Senkō Issenri ILHA FORMOSA' (2025), the 33rd original video work commissioned by the Aichi Arts Center, alongside earlier works by Tomita and Toranosuke Aizawa, such as 'The Daughter of Chiang Rai' (2012) and 'Flower Tale Babylon' (1997). The event also includes a talk session with Tomita and Aizawa after the screenings.