RiNo Art District expands First Friday into summer festival series

RiNo Art District in Denver is expanding its monthly First Friday art walk into a free summer festival series, beginning May 1, 2026, at RiNo ArtPark at Arkins Park. The inaugural event will run from 4 to 9 p.m., featuring live music by Denver group Chouette, food vendors such as TacoNation and Black Knife Bakery, art exhibitions, and hands-on workshops led by local artists including Courtney Ozaki-Durgin. Three festivals are planned for 2026, with additional dates on August 7 and September 4, plus a partnership with the Denver Fringe Festival on June 5.

Seoul Museum of Craft Art opens two exhibitions centered on brief but ambitious Korean Empire

The Seoul Museum of Craft Art opens two special exhibitions on Tuesday, both centered on the Korean Empire (1897-1910), a brief period when Korea sought to modernize through craft and industrial innovation. The larger exhibition, “The Hybrid,” marks 140 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, gathering 24 objects from European collections—23 from France and one from Germany—some not displayed in Korea in over 120 years. The second, “Folded Time, Unfolded Memory: Andong Palace,” focuses on the royal women who lived on the museum’s grounds, particularly Empress Sunjeonghyo and Princess Kim Deok-su. Museum director Kim Soo-jung described the two shows as “almost like an omnibus,” connected through the Korean Empire period.

The Venice Biennale Korean Pavilion was built in 1995 as the 26th national pavilion in Giardini Cast..

The article reports on the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale in 2026, focusing on the Korean Pavilion's exhibition titled "Liberation Space: Fortress and Nest." The Korean Pavilion, built in 1995 as the 26th national pavilion in Giardini Castello Park, will present itself as a temporary monument exploring Korea's post-colonial history, specifically the liberation period (1945-1948) and the concept of sovereignty. Artistic director Choi Bit-na has curated the exhibition to address Korea's geopolitical context, viewing the pavilion's 1995 entry as a key moment of decolonization alongside the demolition of the Government-General building and the founding of the Gwangju Biennale.

This Cute Cat-Themed Art Exhibition In Tai Seng Has Kitty-Inspired Clothing & Japanese Teas

Tokonama, a curated gallery space in Singapore's Tai Seng district, is hosting a free cat-themed art exhibition titled "Toxoplasmosis" from now until 3rd May 2026. The show features over 20 artworks by 17 local and international artists, including paintings, prints, miniature cat replicas, and antique postcards from the 1920s, all inspired by the artists' memories with their feline companions. Alongside the art, the exhibition offers kitty-themed apparel (such as "I Heart Cats" and "MILF" tees) and Japanese botanical brews from Teasan Studio, with small bites served in cat bowls. Ten percent of all art sales will be donated to Kitten Sanctuary Singapore, a volunteer-run non-profit that rescues and rehabilitates vulnerable cats.

An exhibition in Venice on Stéphane Dubé's painting of insects and snakes

The Museum of Oriental Art in Venice is presenting "MUSHI 虫. Dragonflies and Other Insects in the Painting of Stéphane Dubé," a solo exhibition featuring twenty-seven gouache works on paper. Curated by Marta Boscolo Marchi, Sachiko Natsume, and Giulia Passante, the show is organized into three thematic sections focusing on dragonflies, moths, and dead snakes. These contemporary works are displayed in dialogue with traditional Japanese artifacts from the museum's permanent collection, such as netsuke and military items, highlighting the symbolic significance of these creatures in Eastern culture.

Fulham artists and potters open new exhibition

The Society of Fulham Artists and Potters (SoFAP) is holding its free autumn exhibition at Fulham Library from 9 to 16 November. Around 65 local artists will display paintings, sculptures, and Japanese-inspired ceramics, including works by Sylvie Joly, Zohreh Paykani, Izzy Hutchison, and Amanda Withey. All artworks are for sale, with the society's chair Rowena Vaughan highlighting the event as a celebration of community creativity.

SRU hosts Saga University for joint art exhibition

Slippery Rock University (SRU) hosted a joint art exhibition with Saga University from Japan, featuring student and faculty artwork. The exhibition, titled "Drawing: Endlessly Fascinating, Not an End Result," opened with a reception on September 15, 2025, at the Martha Gault Art Gallery on SRU's campus.

Artists find an affordable home at this South Nashville coworking space

A group of Nashville artists opened the exhibition "A Night in Tokyo" at Kreate Hub, a South Nashville coworking and studio space. The show featured Japanese-inspired artwork and memorabilia from around a dozen local artists, including anime-themed pieces, a replica Tokyo apartment, Japanese food and drink, and vintage Nintendo games.

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.

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.

Ghosts in a Postcard Idyll

Geister im Postkartenidyll

Kôji Fukada's film "Nagi Notes" premieres in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, following Yoriko (Takako Matsu), a sculptor and farmer living a quiet, self-sufficient life in the rural Japanese town of Nagi. Her routine is disrupted when her old friend Yuri (Shizuka Ishibashi), an architect, arrives to model for a sculpture, stirring buried emotions and past conflicts. The film explores the slow, delicate process of creating art and the psychological tensions between the two women, set against the backdrop of Nagi's idyllic but symbolically flat landscape.

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.

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.

An immersive digital art exhibition from Europe is coming to Osaka this May

A pop-up digital immersive art exhibition titled 'European Digital Art Experience: The Immersive in Osaka 2025' will run from May 2 to May 14 at Seaside Studio Caso in Osaka's Bay Area. Curated by the Italian multimedia art studio Fake Factory, the exhibition features works by artists including German artist Videogeist, Italian artist Leandro Summo, and Polish artist Pani Pawlosky. It is part of the Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025, held alongside the Osaka Expo, and coincides with the Expo's EU National Day on May 9.

Langkawi becomes an open canvas for contemporary art

Langkawi, Malaysia, is hosting the 29th Bakat Muda Sezaman (BMS29) showcase, transforming the island into an open-air gallery through July 26, 2026. Contemporary artworks and performances are installed in unexpected public locations such as padi fields, jetties, beaches, the Kuah public market, and Dataran Lang, featuring installations, digital art, and interactive works by emerging artists. The National Art Gallery director-general Amerrudin Ahmad stated the initiative aims to bring contemporary art closer to the public by moving beyond conventional gallery spaces.

ART OSAKA 2026 RETURNS WITH EXPANDED VENUES

ART OSAKA 2026 will take place from 28 May to 1 June with an expanded two-venue format, featuring over 60 galleries from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and beyond. The fair is split between the Galleries Section at Grand Green Osaka in the Umekita district and the Expanded Section at Creative Center Osaka, a former shipyard. A special exhibition, "Another 1990s—Kansai Artists Beyond Time," revisits regional art practices from the 1990s.

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.

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.

Kazuhiro Nomura: Monad @ HARMAS GALLERY

野村和弘：モナド @ HARMAS GALLERY

Japanese artist Kazuhiro Nomura is presenting a solo exhibition titled "Monad" at HARMAS GALLERY in Tokyo, running from April 4 to May 16, 2026. The show features a series of works including the titular piece "Monad" (2026), alongside earlier works such as "juno (B)" (2006) and "eva's breast" (2009), as documented in a photo report by ART iT.

Call for Applications: Reiwa 8 (2026) Overseas Training Program for Emerging Artists – Japanese Culture Promotion and Dissemination Project

公募｜令和8年度新進芸術家海外研修制度における「日本文化発信・普及事業」

Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs (Bunka-cho) is now accepting applications for the "Japanese Culture Promotion and Dissemination Project" under the 2026 (Reiwa 8) Overseas Training Program for Emerging Artists. This separate track supports established cultural figures, artists, and researchers—not just emerging artists—to conduct activities that promote and disseminate Japanese culture abroad. The program covers travel, accommodation, and activity costs up to 1.5 million yen, with派遣 periods ranging from 20 to 80 days between October 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. Applications must be received by June 5, 2025, and results will be announced by early September.

From Paris To Gyeongseong’ Illuminating The Flow Of Modern Art​

The article 'From Paris To Gyeongseong’ Illuminating The Flow Of Modern Art' explores the historical and cultural exchange of modern art between Paris and Gyeongseong (the former name of Seoul during the Japanese colonial period). It traces how Western modernist movements, particularly from Paris, influenced Korean artists in the early 20th century, highlighting the cross-cultural dialogue that shaped the development of modern art in Korea. The piece examines specific artworks, exhibitions, and the role of key figures who facilitated this artistic flow.

Japan Crown Prince, Crown Princess Visit Belgian Exhibition

Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visited a special exhibition at Kokugakuin University Museum in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, celebrating the 160th anniversary of Japan-Belgium diplomatic relations. The exhibition, opening May 23, 2026, features about 40 items from the Royal Museums of Art and History in Belgium, including a flower vase donated by Emperor Meiji and diplomatic documents. The royal couple viewed the exhibits while listening to explanations from a Belgian researcher.

Fancy a One-Kilometer Walk on Water in Shandong?

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami has designed the Zaishui Art Museum in Rizhao, Shandong, China, a striking ivory-white structure built on an artificial lake. The museum features a one-kilometer-long immersive walkway that allows water to flow into the interior, blurring the boundary between architecture and nature. Currently, the museum hosts an exhibition on the history and production of chocolate, blending industrial displays with contemporary art.

Lotte Hotels & Resorts taps graphic artist Verdy for ‘Art-cation' promotion

Lotte Hotels & Resorts has launched a collaborative promotion with Japanese graphic artist Verdy, timed to his first solo exhibition in Korea, “I Believe in Me,” at the Lotte Museum of Art in Seoul. The promotion, running until July 19, offers guests at Signiel Seoul, Lotte Hotel Seoul, and Lotte Hotel World limited-edition key card holders designed by Verdy, along with discounts on exhibition admission and specialized room packages that include tickets and upgrades.

RAQEL Solo Exhibition “Tea Time”

RAQEL's solo exhibition "Tea Time" is being presented by Japan Osaka Art Gallery TIME in Minoh, Osaka, from May 14 to May 18, 2025. The show features works that explore a gentle world between fantasy and reality, using motifs of tea, sweets, and young girls to evoke charm, fragility, and solitude.

Soshi Asai Solo Exhibition “Metamorphosis”

Soshi Asai's solo exhibition "Metamorphosis" is being presented by Japan Osaka Art Gallery TIME from April 23 to April 27, 2025, at a venue in Minoh, Osaka. The show features copperplate engravings that use dense monochrome gradations to explore the boundary between fantasy and reality, reflecting themes of solitude, anxiety, tenderness, and fragile human connections shaped by the pandemic and today's chaotic world.