ロバート・ザオ・レンフイ「アフター・コントロール」@ 京都市立芸術大学ギャラリー@KCUA
The Kyoto City University of Arts Gallery @KCUA is hosting a solo exhibition by Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui titled "After Control" (アフター・コントロール), running from May 16 to July 12, 2026. The exhibition presents works from Zhao's long-term projects on Christmas Island, Singapore, Tokyo, Hampi (India), and Phuket (Thailand), exploring environments shaped by human intervention and the complex interplay between nature and artificiality. Zhao, known for his participation in major international exhibitions including the Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025, the 60th Venice Biennale (2024), and the Gwangju Biennale (2023), uses photography, video, and installation to critically examine how ecosystems transform under human control.
This exhibition matters because it situates Zhao's ecological investigations within the specific context of Kyoto, a city with a long history of managing its rivers—the Kamo River and the Takase River—through flood control and canal construction. By placing the gallery's surroundings, marked by ongoing redevelopment and mixed urban landscapes, in dialogue with Zhao's depictions of vibrant biodiversity, the show prompts viewers to reflect on the future of global ecosystems and the possibilities for coexistence between humans and other species. The exhibition also includes a series of free public programs, including an artist talk and lectures, making it accessible to a broad audience.