Startup Founder Poses Questions to Society: Art University Graduate Akane Sakaki Holds First Solo Exhibition "What Color Was the Flower I Saw Yesterday?"

Akane Sakaki, former co-representative of the digital business card "Prairie Card" and an artist gaining attention as an entrepreneur who graduated from an art university, will hold her first solo exhibition, "What Color Was the Flower I Saw Yesterday?" from July 10 (Fri) to July 20 (Mon, holiday), 2026, at the traditional house space "Toishitsu" in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Against the backdrop of an "accelerating society" symbolized by productivity improvements through AI and watching videos at double speed, this exhibition explores "slowness," "ambiguity," and "recognizing that time" as starting points for inquiry, featuring three-dimensional works using photography and glass, as well as participatory installation works. During the exhibition, four talk sessions and participatory workshops will be held, welcoming guests such as anthropologist Hiroshi Nakamura.

Akane Sakaki Solo Exhibition "What Color Was the Flower I Saw Yesterday?"

Statement

Would flowers forgive me

for forgetting yesterday?

Would I forgive myself

for the fact that today is already ending?

Society is becoming relatively faster. It is a society where human society increases productivity fivefold with AI and watches YouTube at double speed. Speed is not a bad thing. What lies behind the feeling of accelerating? I want to embrace the value of slowness and speed not as opposites, but as things that exist in the same place. This is the time of 24 hours born from the rising and setting of the sun, and 365 days aligned with the Earth's rotation. I consider nature to be in charge of these. Considering the concept of umwelt, the length of time each organism possesses differs, but from a human perspective, I believe nature exists as a symbol of slowness. "What Color Was the Flower I Saw Yesterday?" will exhibit a series of works born from the starting points of creating slowness and ambiguity, and having people recognize that time.

Artist's Comment

"Thank you all for your interest in my work this time. During my university years, I studied traditional crafts and art at an art university in Kyoto, and after working at museums and creative companies, I was involved in various art projects. Then, I co-founded a startup with a friend and created 'Prairie Card,' and after managing it, I returned to the art world. For me, both my artworks and my business start with 'questions' to society. In this exhibition, precisely because I pursued richness, dramatic efficiency, and convenience in a startup, I have set the value of 'slowness' and 'human ambiguity' as the theme of my expression. Holding a solo exhibition at this career stage, at this timing, is a challenge for me. I believe that humans are creatures that continue to create, and that this is one of humanity's joys. I believe there are things I can challenge precisely because it is my first solo exhibition. I will continue to prepare so that this will be a meaningful time for society, for everyone around me, and for myself."

-- Akane Sakaki

Artist Profile

Akane Sakaki, Artist

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Studied traditional crafts, art, and architecture through a dual enrollment program at Kyoto University of Art and Design and Kyoto College of Architecture. After backpacking abroad, worked at museums and co-working spaces. Since 2021, has served as Creative Director at Loftwork Inc. In 2023, co-founded the digital business card "Prairie Card" with a friend. Introduced as an "art university graduate entrepreneur" in Forbes, PIVOT, Nikkei Cross Trend, etc., and her services have been featured. While moving between art and business, she will hold her first solo exhibition in 2026. She manages "Asahi-so," a share house for creators, and is also active as a member of the music unit "hen."

Awards and Activities

- Kyoto University of Art and Design Graduation Work Exhibition President's Award (2018) - Planned and managed the group exhibition "Living with Traces," also exhibiting as an artist (2023) - QWS STAGE Grand Prize and NTT Award (2023) - Featured in Forbes, PIVOT, Nikkei Cross Trend, etc. (as an art university graduate entrepreneur, among others, 2024–)

Exhibition Overview

Exhibition Title

"What Color Was the Flower I Saw Yesterday?" (A Flower I Almost Remember)

Artist

Akane Sakaki

Dates

July 10, 2026 (Fri) - July 20, 2026 (Mon, holiday) *Closed July 15 (Wed)

Opening Hours

Weekdays 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM / Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Venue

Toishitsu

Location

3-20-4 Shioirimachi, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Access

10-minute walk from Keikyu Line "Shioiri Station" / 10-minute walk from "Yokosuka-Chuo Station"

Admission Fee

500 yen (Free for elementary school students and younger)

Organizer

Akane Sakaki (Venue Cooperation: Toishitsu)

Related Events

Four "Talk & Town Walk and Dialogue Workshops" will be held during the exhibition period (July 11, 12, 18, 19)

Application: https://peatix.com/event/5060855

Official Information (SNS)

http://Instagram.com/_akaoto_/

Related Event: "Talk & Town Walk and Dialogue Workshop"

Talks exploring the exhibition themes and participatory workshops walking through the town of Yokosuka will be held on four days during the exhibition period. A diverse range of guests, including anthropologists, architects, and artists, will be invited.

July 11, 2026 (Sat) 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Guests: Hiroshi Nakamura (Anthropologist), Kana Fujiwara (Toishitsu, Community Development)

July 12, 2026 (Sun) 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Guests: Kana Fujiwara (Toishitsu, Community Development), Masaki Tamura (Toishitsu, Architect)

July 18, 2026 (Sat) 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Guest: AKI IWAYA (Artist) *Talk only

July 19, 2026 (Sun) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Guests: Soichi Tasaka (Architect), Masaki Tamura (Toishitsu, Architect)

Content

[First Half: Talk (approx. 45 minutes / no application required / capacity 15 people)]

Themes will not be decided in advance; questions will arise spontaneously while viewing the works (e.g., works/art and business/flow of time/ambiguity/future society, etc.).

[Second Half: Town Walk & Dialogue Workshop (approx. 30 minutes / application required / capacity 6 people)]

Participants will walk around Yokosuka for about 30 minutes, bring back something they felt they wanted to remember today, even if they might forget it tomorrow, and then spend the remaining 30 minutes discussing their "takeaways."

Participation Method & Tickets

Talks require no application and are free. The second half workshop is 500 yen per session (application required, capacity 6 people) and can be booked via Peatix (for July 11, 12, 19). July 18 (Sat) will be a talk-only event.

Details: https://peatix.com/event/5060855

Speaker Profiles (Talks & Workshops)

Akane Sakaki will participate on all dates. Guests for each session are as follows:

Hiroshi Nakamura (Anthropologist / July 11) Representative of Atelier Anthropologie LLC, Professor at Tama Art University Liberal Arts Center / Graduate School. While working on violence, social suffering, and the creation of non-violent systems, he established an anthropology-based design firm and collaborates with companies, designers, and artists. Author of "Walking the American Periphery" (Heibonsha, 2021), among others.

Kana Fujiwara (Toishitsu / July 11 & 12) Master's degree from Rikkyo University Graduate School of Tourism. Representative Director of POD Inc. and Yato Co., Ltd., Director of SOIL & CO. General Incorporated Association. Practices community development across domains, from strategic utilization of public spaces and facilities to conceptualization and on-site operations. Has been operating "Toishitsu" in Yokosuka since 2023. The theme is "encountering new insights through questioning."

Masaki Tamura (Toishitsu, Architect / July 12 & 19) Born in Tokyo. Graduated from Yokohama National University Graduate School Y-GSA, worked at an architectural design firm. Engaged in the design of park facilities, renovation of traditional houses, urban planning, and spatial design for art events, and also works on landscape, furniture, and publishing design individually. His lifelong projects include activities in the Yanagito area of Shioiri and the Yokosuka Research Art Project.

AKI IWAYA (Artist / July 18) Philosopher, artist, and writer. Relativizes modernity from an anthropological perspective and re-examines contemporary social issues using culture and art as leverage. Explores dialogue and collectives. Member of VS?collective.

Soichi Tasaka (Architect / July 19) Staff member at HAGISO Inc. Certified Class 1 Architect Office / Manager of Nishi-Nippori BOOK APARTMENT / Owner of Himitsu no Honya. Born in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1990, lives in Yanaka. Responsible for architectural design and planning at HAGISO. After graduating from the graduate school of Tokyo University of the Arts, joined HAGISO. Alongside his work as an architect, he manages the shared bookstore "Nishi-Nippori BOOK APARTMENT" and the unmanned bookstore "Himitsu no Honya" in Atami.

About the Venue - Toishitsu

Toishitsu is a space utilizing a traditional house located on a hill in Yokosuka, at the top of a Yanagito slope. It operates under the concept of "a place to encounter new insights through questioning, not a bookstore or a library," and has hosted book exhibitions, talks, and workshops with keywords such as "rest," "read," "talk," "notice," and "question."

Inquiries Regarding This Release and Media Coverage

Contact (Email): [email protected] (Attn: Sakaki) Media coverage on the day of the event is also accepted.