Tokyo University of the Arts x JR East Ueno Station Gallery "CREATIVE HUB UENO 'es'" Exhibition Schedule Announcement for the First Half of 2026

From Manami Saito's solo exhibition "Small Vehicles" DM design.

"CREATIVE HUB UENO 'es'" (opened in April 2024) within JR Ueno Station hosts exhibitions by artists recommended by various departments of Tokyo University of the Arts. We are pleased to announce the exhibition schedule for the first half of 2026.

Starting with Manami Saito's solo exhibition "Small Vehicles," featuring vehicles painted with Japanese mineral pigments, the schedule will sequentially present Miki Shinobu, who deals with invisible phenomena such as conversation and sound, expressing them in space as lines and forms; Yuki Horikoshi, who uses drawings to show how "architecture as experience" emerges; and Yuki Muraoka, who creates sculptures using various materials to represent humans formed by complex balances.

In the first half of 2026, "es" will continue to open up a place for creation and encounters through diverse expressions.

<Gallery Overview>

□Address: CREATIVE HUB UENO “es” 7-1-1 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (near Ueno Station Asakusa Exit)

□Hours: 11:00~19:00 (Last admission 18:45)

□Closed: Mondays (If Monday is a public holiday, closed on the next day)

□Admission: Free

□Website: https://ueno-es.jp/

Exhibition Schedule (April 2026 - October 2026)

April 28 (Tue) - May 31 (Sun) *Open on May 4, no substitute closing Manami Saito Solo Exhibition "Small Vehicles" Japanese Painting <Department of Japanese Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts>

June 9 (Tue) - July 12 (Sun) Miki Shinobu Solo Exhibition "(Exhibition Title Undecided)" Design <Department of Design>

July 21 (Tue) - August 30 (Sun) Yuki Horikoshi Solo Exhibition "Architectural Drawings of Texture (tentative)" Architecture <Department of Architecture>

September 8 (Tue) - October 11 (Sun) Yuki Muraoka Solo Exhibition "Friends, Acquaintances, Someone Unknown (tentative)" Sculpture <Department of Sculpture>

*Exhibition dates and contents are subject to change.

Next Exhibition

Manami Saito "Books and Trains" from 2025

Manami Saito Solo Exhibition "Small Vehicles"

Period: April 28 (Tue) - May 31 (Sun), 2026

Under the title "Small Vehicles," works created so far will be exhibited. Paintings are created using Japanese mineral pigments on hemp paper. The granular pigments, made by crushing minerals, have unique colors and textures that are captivating. While capturing the nuances of everyday life, I reconsidered "vehicles" as fascinating forms, and in this exhibition, I will focus on vehicles as motifs for my works.

Recommender's Comment

The motifs depicted in Ms. Saito's works are diverse, but they evoke a sense of nostalgia, like scenes from distant memories. Please take a look at how she carefully captures motifs, uses Japanese mineral pigments to express them, and elevates them into paintings.

Seiji Yoshimura, Professor, Department of Japanese Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

Profile © Manami Saito

Manami Saito

2018 Graduated from the Department of Japanese Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

2020 Completed Master's program in Japanese Painting, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

2023 Completed Doctoral program in Japanese Painting, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

Currently: Associate Member of the Japan Art Institute

Instagram: http://instagram.com/manami_saito_

Major Exhibition History

2022 Lespoir New Artist Selection Exhibition (Ginza Surugadai Gallery)

2024 Solo Exhibition "-Of Days Gone By-" (Matsuzakaya Ueno Store, Matsuzakaya Nagoya Store)

Past Works

"Blue Duck" 2024 Glue, hemp paper, Japanese mineral pigments, silver leaf

"March of Night Snow" 2024 Glue, hemp paper, Japanese mineral pigments, silver

Upcoming Exhibitions

© Miki Shinobu

Miki Shinobu Solo Exhibition "(Title Undecided)"

Period: June 9 (Tue) - July 12 (Sun), 2026

In this exhibition, invisible phenomena such as sound and words are expressed in space as lines and forms. Starting from everyday sounds and conversations, the artist explores descriptive methods through a certain process, attempting to visualize elements that do not appear at the point of perception. The works are configured as a space including three-dimensional, two-dimensional, and book formats.

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Miki Shinobu

Deals with invisible phenomena such as conversation and sound, exploring the relationship between perception and representation. Works are spatial expressions spanning three-dimensional, two-dimensional, and book formats. Recipient of the 10th Tokyo University of the Arts Heisei Art Award. Completed Master's program in Design, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2026. Technical Instructor, Department of Design, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.

© Yuki Horikoshi

Yuki Horikoshi Solo Exhibition "Architectural Drawings of Texture (tentative)"

Period: July 21 (Tue) - August 30 (Sun), 2026

The perception of architecture changes significantly depending on climate, time, and physical condition. To capture such fluctuating and ambiguous experiences, it is necessary to extract the overall picture of experiences over time, not just expressing the shape of space through drawings and models. This exhibition will focus on this aspect.