[YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA] Group Exhibition "Living Creatures" <August 1, 2026 (Sat) - August 31, 2026 (Mon)>

YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA (2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Stage 1 Nishidori 4F) will hold the group exhibition "Living Creatures" from August 1, 2026 (Sat) to August 31, 2026 (Mon).

Plants, animals, fungi, and imaginary creatures. Five artists express "living creatures" using their own materials and techniques in this group exhibition. The participating artists are Ado, So Ikegami, Tsukasa Kaneko, Yukiko Kurano, and Yoshie Kuroda.

"Living Creatures" Expressed by Five Artists

Ado, who has participated in wildlife conservation activities in Kenya and worked at a zoo in Japan, is a painter who depicts the state of life. The canvases are filled with the presence and vitality of living beings. The gaze and posture of these creatures, as if they are looking at us, contain a certain tension and warmth.

So Ikegami presents glass works that bridge crafts and contemporary art, using the techniques of blown glass and hot work. Glass is a hard and seemingly permanent material, yet it ripples like liquid and changes shape instantaneously. His creations are formed as if drawing in mid-air. The creation process itself, as a trace of bodily movement, expresses invisible life energy.

Tsukasa Kaneko creates ceramic works using traditional Hagi ware techniques, with "kusabira" (fungi) as his motif. "Kusabira" is an ancient word for mushroom. He states that the way mycelia quietly expand their networks underground evokes the cycle and transformation of life, and the inheritance of history and culture, prompting contemplation on the relationship between nature and humans through his work.

Yukiko Kurano is known for her realistic style depicting plants and the human body as motifs. In this exhibition, she uses oil paints like watercolors to express the ever-changing state of plants. While floral motifs in painting can sometimes symbolize death and transience, she finds hope in the unreserved fulfillment of life and depicts its dynamism with energetic brushstrokes.

Yoshie Kuroda creates three-dimensional works called "Mokemokemono" from discarded clothing. These imaginary creatures, named from "Mononoke" (spirits/monsters) and "Kemono" (beasts), intentionally leave their stitches visible. She explains, "In ancient Japan, it was believed that stitches held magical power, and the act of sewing stitch by stitch is akin to prayer or ritual," and she imbues new life into them by sewing everything by hand.

The Dynamism of Invisible Life

Each artist uses materials such as Japanese paper, clay, glass, and clothing. A key highlight of this exhibition is how the logic of each material, beyond the form of "living creatures," conveys the theme of the state of life with physicality.

Ado depicts the depth of "living creatures." Ikegami visualizes life not as form but as the process itself. Tsukasa Kaneko presents eternal time and the stories of relationships told within it. Kurano views plants not as mere still lifes but as phenomena that continuously generate and transform, while Kuroda practices a prayer for life imbued with physicality.

Diverse beings such as plants, animals, and fungi intricately relate to shape the world. Instead of viewing the world centered on humans, we can feel the expansion of life within invisible relationships and time through communion with living creatures.

For details, please visit the gallery's official website.

https://yugen-gallery.com/blogs/exhibitions/ikimonotachi-fukuoka

Exhibition Overview

Title: Living Creatures

Period: August 1, 2026 (Sat) - August 31, 2026 (Mon)

Artist Appearance Days: Undecided

Opening Hours: 11:00 - 19:00

※Closes at 17:00 on the final day only

Closed: Tuesdays

Venue: YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA

Address: 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Stage 1 Nishidori 4F

Admission Fee: Free

※Details of the artists' appearance schedule will be updated as soon as they are decided. Please check the gallery's Instagram for the latest information.

Regarding Artwork Purchase

Artwork viewing and purchase will be available simultaneously with the exhibition opening on the YUGEN Gallery official online store.

Artwork Sales Site (YUGEN Gallery)

Ado: https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/ado So Ikegami: https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/so-ikegami Tsukasa Kaneko: https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/tsukasa-kaneko Yukiko Kurano: https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/yukiko-kurano Yoshie Kuroda: https://yugen-gallery.com/collections/yoshie-kuroda

Related Works

Ado

So Ikegami

Tsukasa Kaneko

Yukiko Kurano

Yoshie Kuroda

Artist Profiles (in Japanese syllabary order)

Ado / ado

An artist who loves living creatures. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, lives in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Explores ways to express the state of living beings. Engages in creative activities while considering what can be done for animals. Visited and stayed in Kenya in 2003 with the desire to be involved in wildlife conservation. After returning to Japan, began creating art with the thought of doing something personally. Graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture and worked part-time at the Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Began working as a full-time artist in 2006.

instagram: @ado_makiko.watanabe

So Ikegami / So Ikegami

Ikegami, So / Glass artist.

Born in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture in 2000. Graduated from Tama Art University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Crafts, Glass Program in 2022. Graduated from Toyama Institute of Glass Art, Research Course in 2024. Assistant at Tama Art University, Department of Crafts, Glass Research Laboratory in 2024. Currently, Assistant Professor at Tama Art University, Department of Crafts, Glass Research Laboratory.

instagram: @chuangchishang

Exhibitions

2026 "Traces of Breath and Heat" Solo Exhibition (Blackbird Gallery / Nagoya, Sakae) 2025 "KOUGEI ARTISTS LEAGUE2024 Kyoto - Sennyu-ji Temple" (Sennyu-ji Temple / Kyoto) 2024 "Joint Exhibition of Glass Educational Institutions 2024" (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum / Tokyo)

2023 "CIRCULATIONs" Solo Exhibition (GINZASIX Garden Rooftop / Tokyo)

Awards

2025 MUFG Craft Project "KOGEI ARTISYS LEAGUE" Finalist 2022 "ART AWARD TOKYO MARUNOUCHI" Grand Prix and Audience Award Winner 2021 "1st Miyako International Art Triennale TRAIART" Award Winner

Tsukasa Kaneko / Tsukasa Kaneko

Kaneko, Tsukasa / Ceramic artist. Born in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1970. Based in Hagi City. Creates Hagi ware works with mushrooms as motifs using traditional techniques such as suminagashi (ink flow). Has exhibited internationally, including a residency at Carlo Zauli Museum (Italy) in 2009, "Mushroom Art Research Exhibition" at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art in 2010, and "Kusabira & Kusagusa: Tsukasa Kaneko Ceramic Exhibition" at the Hagi Uragami Museum of Art, Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art in 2019.

instagram: @kusabira696

Exhibitions

2022 Fukuoka Mitsukoshi micology (Fukuoka) 2021 CONTEMPORARY ART 2021 (Fukuoka Mitsukoshi) 2018 GARNI Solo Exhibition (Tokyo) 2017 Ginza Mitsukoshi Hyakumai-zara (Tokyo)

Awards

2011 International Ceramics Festival Mino '11 Selected (Ceramics Park MINO, Gifu) 2004 Asahi Ceramics Exhibition Selected 2000 Mashiko Ceramics Exhibition Selected

Yukiko Kurano / Yukiko Kurano

Kurano, Yukiko / Born in Kumamoto City in 1979. Graduated from Kumamoto University, Faculty of Education, Department of Secondary Education Teacher Training, Art Course in 2002. Completed Master's Program in Art Research, University of Tsukuba Graduate School in 2004.

She creates her work by pursuing the dynamic movement within stillness, depicting the seemingly static yet constantly rooting, branching, and stirring plants; the slowly but moment-by-moment changing landscapes of the sky and sea; and the microscopic scenes of the human body, suggesting the ceaseless activity of countless cells for survival even in stillness. Her brushstrokes chase this dynamic movement.

instagram: @kuranoyukiko

Exhibitions

2026 "HALCYON" (Nakao Gallery)

2025 "EYES" (MEDEL GALLERY SHU)

2022 "Relocation Anniversary Exhibition - Towards Early Summer" (Gallery EM)

2021 "Koubai Art Award Encouragement Prize Selected Two-Person Exhibition - Reflection Yukiko Kurano, Naoh Sano" (Tsunagi Museum of Art)

Awards

2018 53rd Showa-kai Exhibition (Nichido Gallery) Selected

2004 13th Shigeru Aoki Memorial Grand Prize Competition, Ishibashi Foundation Ishibashi Museum of Art Award, University of Tsukuba President's Award

Yoshie Kuroda / Yoshie Kuroda

Kuroda, Yoshie / Born in Fukuoka in 1987. Graduated from Tama Art University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Information Design, Information Art Course in 2010. Using discarded clothing as her primary material, she engages in creative forms that traverse the concepts of three-dimensional objects such as stuffed animals, dolls, and sculptures. She continuously creates imaginary creatures called "Mokemokemono" and presents installations and photographic works using them. In recent years, she has actively participated in artist residencies both domestically and internationally, and in 2023, she undertook training in Germany as a fellowship recipient of the Pola Art Foundation.

instagram: @yoshiekuroda_art

Exhibitions

2026 Yoshie Kuroda Solo Exhibition (ART FAIR TOKYO, Tokyo International Forum / Tokyo)

2025 "Blooming" (Isetan Shinjuku, ISETAN Gallery / Tokyo)

2025 "Symbiosis" (YOD TOKYO / Tokyo)

2024 "Seisei Ruten" (Gallery CONTAINER Iwataya Main Store / Fukuoka)

Awards

2025 28th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art Selected

2023 Training in Germany as a recipient of the Reiwa 5 Pola Art Foundation Overseas Fellowship

2019 Rokko Meets Art Art Walk 2019 Encouragement Prize

About YUGEN Gallery

YUGEN Gallery was established in February 2022 and specializes in Japanese contemporary art. It operates with bases in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, and Tenjin, Fukuoka.

The gallery name "YUGEN" is derived from the uniquely Japanese aesthetic concept of "Yugen," embodying the desire to convey the charm of Japanese art works possessing elements such as "profoundness," "nobility," "elegance," "grace," "allure," and "magnificence" to a wider audience.

The gallery introduces emerging contemporary artists active both domestically and internationally, exhibiting a wide range of works without genre restrictions. Furthermore, it offers online sales of artworks in both Japanese and English on its official website, delivering art to people worldwide.

【Gallery Overview】

<YUGEN Gallery>

Address: KD Minami-Aoyama Bldg. 4F, 3-1-31 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Business Days: Only during exhibition periods

Business Hours: Weekdays 13:00 - 19:00 / Weekends and Holidays 13:00 - 20:00

※May vary depending on the exhibition.

<YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA>

Address: 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Stage 1 Nishidori 4F

Business Hours: 11:00 - 19:00

Closed: Every Tuesday

※Temporary closures may occur for exhibition changeovers. Please check the official website and official social media.

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Our company provides consulting services utilizing internet advertising through our <Digital Marketing Business>, as well as operating an <Art Media Business> and a <Lifestyle Business>.

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【Jeane Inc. Company Overview】

Representative: Hiroaki Hayashida, Representative Director

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