[Opening April 25] Solo Exhibition "Soft Landscape" by Nara-based artist Kana Akamatsu to be held at MOMENT

Kana Akamatsu creates abstract paintings that explore the balance between opposing forces in daily life, such as life and death, and nature and artifice. By collaging scenes and motifs before reconstructing them into her own imagery, she sharply carves out forms like plants, buildings, and people, creating a tense balance on the canvas. In addition to her work as an artist, Akamatsu has balanced various roles, including working as an art teacher at high schools and free schools, as well as managing family farming and childcare. Following her departure from farming last year, she began to reflect on her identity while navigating multiple roles. Stating, "I feel like I have returned to my true self after stepping away from all those roles," she used this experience to explore themes of "self," "life," and "nurturing" in her January 2026 exhibition, "Us in the Middle and on the Edges," held at the Nara Prefecture Convention Center. This exhibition continues to build on her recent reflections, attempting to open her creative process further to engagement with others. From the start of the exhibition on Saturday, April 25, through Wednesday, May 27, Akamatsu will conduct a residency, opening the venue as an atelier. Visitors will be able to interact freely with the artist as she works and participate in a collaborative initiative where they can add their own drawings to the canvases. Starting Saturday, May 30, the exhibition will focus on new works born from this residency and collaborative process. Additionally, the exhibition will feature drawings co-created by Akamatsu and her daughter, as well as a collection of her past collage works.