Q&A with Sarah Koff, an environmental artist with an exhibition at AVA Gallery

Sarah Koff, a woodblock printmaker and environmentalist based in New Hampshire, discusses her exhibition “Object Permanence” at AVA Gallery in Lebanon, which runs from July 11 to August 9. Koff, a 2024 Juror Recognition Award winner from the Alliance for the Visual Arts Gallery, creates intricate prints that explore local environmental issues, such as invasive species like Japanese Knotweed and chemical pollution. She describes her slow, tactile process of woodcutting and her commitment to non-toxic printmaking through her work with Zea Mays Printmaking.

How this artist finds sci-fi inspiration in bamboo scaffolding

Freddy Carrasco, a Canadian artist of Dominican heritage based in Japan, is preparing for his first Hong Kong exhibition titled "Return to Nothing" at WKM Gallery in Wong Chuk Hang, running until August 2. The show features paintings and sculptures inspired by the bamboo scaffolding and grid-like structures he observes from his studio window in Tsim Sha Tsui, which he likens to a tesseract—a four-dimensional cube representing space and time. Carrasco's work explores themes of existence, death, religion, and transformation, often depicting abstract black figures suspended in grids, hands in worship, or empty forms suggesting portals between dimensions. He is in Hong Kong on a visiting artist residency with Side Space, supported by Matt Chung, Alex Chan of The Shophouse, and William Kayne Mukai of WKM Gallery.

The Kaldea street-art exhibition at Espace Cinko plunges us into kawaii Japan — photos

French street artist Kaldea has unveiled a major solo exhibition titled "Identity" at Espace Cinko in Paris’s 2nd arrondissement. Hosted by Galerie Roussard, the immersive show transforms a 200-square-meter former printing press into a reconstructed Japanese landscape complete with sakura blossoms and paper lanterns. The exhibition features approximately forty works across five thematic narratives, ranging from porcelain animal figures to reimagined manga icons like Godzilla and Pikachu, blending Art Deco, futuristic, and Asian influences.

Takeshi Yasura: HAK HACK @ CADAN Otemachi

保良雄：ハクハック @ CADAN大手町

Artist Takeshi Yasura is presenting a solo exhibition titled "HAK HACK" at CADAN Yurakucho (Otemachi) in Tokyo, scheduled to run from April 1 to April 18, 2026. Organized by the gallery KOTARO NUKAGA, the exhibition showcases Yasura's latest installation work within the collaborative space of the Contemporary Art Dealers Association Nippon (CADAN).

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The World Monuments Fund (WMF) has pledged $7 million for 2026 to fund 21 new heritage preservation projects globally. These projects, selected from its 2025 Watch List and other sites, range from restoring mural paintings at the Church of Saint-Eustache in Paris and gardens at Safdar Jang’s Tomb in New Delhi, to repairing earthquake damage in Japan and supporting community-led stewardship at Bear’s Ears National Monument in Utah.

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Shinsuke Sakimoto, CEO of luxury reseller Valuence Holdings, revealed himself as the buyer of a Hermès Birkin bag that sold at Sotheby’s Paris for €8.6 million ($10 million). The handmade black leather bag, originally commissioned in 1984 for actress Jane Birkin by then-Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas, had been in a private French collection since its last auction in 2000. Sakimoto, previously anonymous, told the Khaleej Times that winning the bag was a personal milestone and a defining moment for his company.

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W. David Marx joins Artnet News senior editor Kate Brown on the podcast 'The Art Angle' to discuss his new book, *Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century*. The book argues that creativity across art, media, and popular culture has stagnated over the past 25 years, driven by commercialization, rapid technology shifts, and a preference for profit-driven formulas over experimentation. Marx identifies a 'conspicuous blank space where art and creativity used to be' and proposes five strategies to revive cultural inventiveness.

Preparations for the Miyako Odori, Kyoto’s spring dance festival – in pictures

Geisha and maiko (apprentices) in Kyoto are rehearsing for the annual Miyako Odori, or 'Capital City Dances.' This spring dance festival, held throughout April at the Gion Kōbu Kaburenjo theatre, features eight scenes depicting Japanese history and literature, accompanied by live shamisen music and performed against cherry blossom backdrops.

White stuff: capturing a land without colour – in pictures

Photographer Elizabeth Sanjuan has released a new book titled 'Silent Snow,' featuring 40 monochrome images captured over four winters in Hokkaido, Japan. The work focuses on the island's snow-covered landscape, which remains white for half the year, and explores the visual and emotional qualities of this extreme environment.

Beneath the Great Wave: Hokusai and Hiroshige review – how two Japanese masters reinvented art

The Whitworth gallery in Manchester is presenting a major exhibition comparing the works of Japanese masters Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. The show traces the evolution of ukiyo-e prints from their origins as mass-produced, voyeuristic snapshots of Tokyo's pleasure districts to the profound, psychologically complex landscapes that would later revolutionize Western art.

3 to See: Stroll Morikami; Explore Boca history; Hands-on art projects

The article highlights three cultural destinations in Palm Beach County, Florida, as part of the MOSAIC (Month of Shows, Art, Ideas and Culture) celebration in May. Visitors can enjoy discounted admission to Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, free admission to the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, and reduced entry to the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum in Boynton Beach, which hosts a weekly "Artist of the Week" series with hands-on art activities for families.

5 exhibits to see at Salem’s galleries, museums in May

Salem's galleries and museums are hosting five notable exhibitions in May, including 'Jew&' at the Salem Art Association for Jewish American Heritage Month, featuring 25 local Jewish artists; 'Courage and Compassion' at the Willamette Heritage Center, exploring Japanese-American internment through local stories; the Annual Invitational Photography Show at Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery; 'Confluence – Where forms converge' at the Stefani Art Gallery, pairing geometric abstraction with woodcarving; and the third annual Keizer Riverwalk Art Fair organized by the Keizer Art Association.

Philippine art goes on tour this May

Manila Calling, a traveling art exhibition organized by Manila Collective Inc., launches this May, connecting Manila, Barcelona, Madrid, and Tokyo. The project transforms traditional exhibition spaces into a hybrid of gallery, curated gift shop, and street-level art party, featuring 70 creatives from the Philippines, Spain, France, Italy, and Japan. Participating artists submitted original artworks translated into a unified silk textile installation, alongside limited-edition prints, zines, apparel, and collectible objects. The tour includes stops in Barcelona (May 15-16), Madrid (May 19-20), a month-long exhibit at Centro de Turismo Intramuros in Manila (June 6-27), and a Tokyo stop with a closing celebration in Barcelona in July. A pop-up gift shop in Comuna, Makati precedes the tour on May 8-10.

Bikaner House to host Japanese artist Mari Ito’s first solo exhibition in India, Origin of Desire

Japanese artist Mari Ito will hold her first solo exhibition in India, titled 'Origin of Desire,' at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The week-long show, presented by the gallery GEEK/ART, opens on April 25 and features new paintings and a special installation, introducing Ito's botanical, surreal, and Nihonga-influenced work to a new audience.

BLEACHxLAM "SOUL ART SHOWCASE" Exhibition Reveals New Artwork Ahead of Nationwide Tour

The hit anime series BLEACH and renowned illustrator LAM have announced a collaborative nationwide exhibition tour titled “BLEACH×LAM -SOUL ART SHOWCASE-.” Launching in late April 2026, the showcase features new, highly stylized artworks by LAM that reinterpret iconic characters from Tite Kubo’s manga, including Ichigo Kurosaki and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. The exhibition will travel to galleries in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, offering free admission and exclusive merchandise to the public.

Tokyo yokai immersive exhibition brings old legends alive

The "Yokai Immersive Experience Exhibition Tokyo" has opened at Warehouse Terrada, utilizing projection mapping and 3D technology to bring over 300 supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore to life. The exhibition features digital recreations of historical emaki scrolls and ukiyo-e prints by masters such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Katsushika Hokusai, alongside contemporary works from the Yokai Art Museum in Shodoshima.

At Frieze Los Angeles, Greg Ito’s bright baggage carries hope

Los Angeles-based artist Greg Ito has presented a striking installation titled "A Cautionary Tale" with Superposition Gallery at Frieze Los Angeles. The booth features stacks of neon orange suitcases and mirrored trunks alongside paintings of symbolic imagery like burning candles and ships in a bottle. The work draws directly from Ito’s family history, specifically the forced relocation of his grandparents to Japanese American internment camps during World War II, where they were restricted to bringing only what they could carry in a suitcase.

Masako Yasuki, Clifford Iwao Arinaga Visiting Artist

Kyoto-based painter Masako Yasuki will serve as the Clifford Iwao Arinaga Visiting Artist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, featuring an exhibition at The Commons Gallery from March 3 to 10, 2026. The showcase highlights Yasuki’s unique technical approach, which blends traditional East Asian mineral pigments and gold leaf with Western oil and tempera paints, alongside her use of frottage to document urban and natural landscapes.

Gallery Time & Space brings a vast exhibition to Venkatappa Art Gallery

Gallery Time & Space has unveiled 'Continuum: Artists Across Time and Space' at Venkatappa Art Gallery in Bengaluru, a large-scale exhibition featuring over 50 artists in a group show alongside solo presentations by SG Vasudev and Asit Poddar. The group exhibition explores metaphysical themes of consciousness, light, and love, bridging past and present through diverse mediums including cyanotypes, stoneware ceramics, and oil on canvas. Curator Renu George selected artists from the gallery's roster, highlighting both established and emerging talents.

Check out a multi-sensory experience at Hong Kong’s first large-scale art dome

Hong Kong's first large-scale art dome, FutureScope, has opened at Kai Tak Sports Park, running from December 19, 2025 to January 4, 2026. The dome features 'Perpetual Records', an immersive exhibition co-created by local media art studio XCEPT and Japanese artist Daito Manabe. Visitors can interact with 360-degree projections using facial recognition technology that translates their expressions into geometric patterns and alters an adaptive soundscape. Ticketed performances from January 2 to 4 offer deeper engagement with the artwork through live audio-visual sessions guided by XCEPT's artistic director Chris Cheung (h0nh1m).

Finger-Painting Artist Rokkaku Ayako Opens Seoul Solo Exhibition

Japanese finger-painting artist Rokkaku Ayako has opened a solo exhibition in Seoul, showcasing her vibrant, textured works created directly with her fingers. The show highlights her distinctive technique and playful, childlike aesthetic that has gained international attention.

Can This New York Gallery Make You Reconsider Your Stance on Digital Art?

Offline gallery, a new brick-and-mortar space at 243 Bowery in New York (formerly Salon 94's location), has opened with a mission to bridge digital art and physical experience. Supported by the NFT marketplace SuperRare, the gallery is directed by Mika Bar-On Nesher and co-founded by Josh Long. It launched in July 2024 and has already hosted a book launch for Botto, an autonomous AI artist, and currently features a solo exhibition by Japanese multimedia artist Emi Kusano titled "Ego In The Shell," which explores AI, nostalgia, and pop culture. The gallery aims to create a tangible space where audiences can engage with digital and AI-generated art, fostering dialogue between crypto-natives and traditional art audiences.

Asian Art Week Live Sales Total: $46,685,403 - Christie's

Christie's Asian Art Week live sales in New York totaled $46,685,403, achieving 259% hammer and premium above low estimate with a 91% sell-through rate. The three sales—Japanese and Korean Art ($2.46 million), South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art ($12.38 million, 100% sold), and Important Chinese Furniture and Works of Art ($31.84 million)—saw strong bidding across categories. A Yongzheng-period falangcai wine cup led the week at $1.59 million, while a Hokusai painting of a Standing Beauty fetched $444,500 and a Vasudeo S. Gaitonde Untitled (1984) realized $2.39 million. Christie's set four artist records in the South Asian sale, including for Sheikh Mohammed Sultan and Ivan Peries.

Children of Ruth: Artists Choosing Judaism

The Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College in New York presents “Children of Ruth: Artists Choosing Judaism,” an international group exhibition featuring 17 artists who converted to Judaism. Curated by Nancy Mantell and Susan H. Picker, the show includes works by artists from New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Norway, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States, exploring their diverse spiritual journeys through various media. Featured artists include Tetsuya Noda, whose print “Diary: June 11, 1971: Bet Din for Conversion” depicts his conversion ceremony; Yona Verwer, whose “Immersion VIII” portrays her mikvah experience; and Carolyn Carson, whose “Daughters of Ruth” addresses antisemitism and belonging.

BUAM exhibition explores artists’ interaction with historical movements

The Binghamton University Art Museum (BUAM) has opened its fall semester exhibition, “In the American Grain: Exploring America through Art, 1919-1946,” curated by art history professor Tom McDonough. The show spans the interwar period through World War II, featuring works from BUAM’s collection—many donated by local collectors Gil and Deborah Williams—alongside loans from the BU libraries, the Roberson Museum and Science Center, and the Art Bridges Collection. Originally conceived with Chelsea Gibson of the Binghamton Codes! Program, the exhibition grew from a pandemic-era digital project and includes thematic categories such as Americans Abroad, City Life, Picturing Black Lives, and War Time, with works by artists like Jane Peterson, Chiura Obata, James Lesesne Wells, and Helen Torr.

“Art Macao” public artwork Time Tower jointly created by artists from China, Japan and South Korean commemorates the cultural bonds and spiritual connections among East Asian cities

The "Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2025" has unveiled a new public artwork titled "Time Tower" at the Macao Cultural Centre Plaza. Created collaboratively by artists Guan Huaibin (China), Hirotoshi Sakaguchi (Japan), and Kim Sang-yeon (South Korea), the piece commemorates Macao's designation as a "Culture City of East Asia" this year. The biennale features over 30 exhibitions across six sections, including the "Public Art Exhibition" themed "Waves & Ways," which integrates art into Macao's urban fabric. Additionally, the Community Co-Creation and Mutual-Aid Project at San Mei On Building has launched residencies with artists like Jason Ho, Wang Ying, Shen Jialu, and Zhang Xiao, engaging local residents through interactive works.

MOCA focus. Takako Yamaguchi

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles has opened "MOCA focus: Takako Yamaguchi," the third exhibition in its relaunched MOCA focus series, running from June 29, 2025, to January 4, 2026. The show presents the first solo museum exhibition in Los Angeles for the 72-year-old Japanese-born artist, featuring a series of oil-and-bronze-leaf seascapes that synthesize motifs she has developed over four decades, blending influences from Mexican muralism, Renaissance art, Japanese Nihonga, and Art Nouveau.

Jane Birkin’s original namesake Hermès bag sells for record-breaking €8.6m at Sotheby’s Paris

Sotheby's Paris sold the original Hermès Birkin prototype that belonged to the late actress Jane Birkin for a record-breaking €8.6 million on July 10. The 50-year-old scuffed handbag, which Birkin carried for years, sparked a ten-minute bidding war among nine collectors and ultimately went to a buyer in Japan. The sale far exceeded the previous world record for a handbag at auction, set in 2021.

From traditional Japanese woodblock to anime inspiration, Tacoma Art Museum exhibit has fun and fascination in store for all

The Tacoma Art Museum presents an exhibition curated by Kenji Stoll that traces the evolution of Japanese visual culture from traditional ukiyo-e woodblock prints to contemporary anime-inspired works. The show features a diverse range of artists, including Roger Shimomura, whose painting "Minidoka No.5 (442)" references the Japanese American 442nd regimental unit in World War II, alongside self-taught artists like VanVan, who contributes manga-style drawings. Stoll himself, a tattoo artist, exhibits a large mural titled "Nikkei Butterfly," which celebrates Japanese diaspora culture through patterns and a samurai warrior motif. Other artists include Ed Augai, Lauren Iida, Hanako O’Leary, and Yoshiko Yamamoto, whose works bridge historical ukiyo-e techniques with contemporary themes of identity, memory, and female empowerment.

Nomad Artist Explores the Meaning of Home Through a London Exhibition

Illustrator Molly Maine, who has been traveling the world since 2016 while running her remote design studio, is opening her first solo exhibition in London. Titled "Nomad: Perspectives on Home in a Changing Japan," the show grew out of her experiences at the Colive Fukuoka conference and an artist residency in Kanazawa. During her time in Japan, Maine interviewed both earthquake evacuees from the Noto Peninsula and digital nomads who had relocated there, exploring contrasting experiences of displacement and belonging. The exhibition weaves together these voices through illustration commissions that examine what defines home.