"The Festival of Polichiners, St. Mark's Square" 200 x 300 cm
Galerie Tamenaga closes its Ginza exhibition in the city where it was founded
Galerie Tamenaga will hold the exhibition "Paul Aizpiri, Nurtured by Art Dealer Seiji Tamenaga" from Saturday, July 12th to Sunday, August 17th, 2025. Since its opening in 1969, our gallery has been introducing many masterpieces from Ginza for 56 years, but this summer will mark the end of our activities in Ginza and our new location in Minami-Aoyama, Kotto-dori. This exhibition will be our last in Ginza, and will focus on the approximately 60-year relationship between our gallery founder Seiji Tamenaga (1932-2025) and the artist Paul Aizpiri (1919-2016), showcasing approximately 35 pieces of Aizpiri's work, full of love and happiness, from his early period to his later years.
"The Festival of Polichiners, St. Mark's Square" 200 x 300 cm
1957 Seiji Tamenaga and Paul Aizpiri
When our gallery first opened, Impressionist paintings were being introduced to Japan, but European paintings of the next generation, including those of the École de Paris artists, were still not well known. Seiji Tamenaga's mission was to place the masterpieces of these artists in Japanese museums and collectors, while at the same time discovering and introducing contemporary artists to the world. One of these artists was Paul Aizpiri. The two became close friends after meeting in Paris in 1957, and when our gallery opened in 1969, he held his first solo exhibition as a contracted artist. Since then, we have held more than 60 solo exhibitions at all our gallery locations, introducing more than 3,000 pieces of work both domestically and internationally. With the guidance of Tamenaga, who frequently visited Aizpiri's studio, Aizpiri's style continued to expand, and in the 1980s he established a style filled with rich colors and simple, powerful images. In the latter half of the 2000s, their work became brighter and lighter, and they developed a style filled with a free and playful spirit, with people and bicycles flying in the air. The worldwide acclaim that Aizpiri has received today is a testament to the bond between the two artists.
Since the gallery opened, the Tokyo store has held approximately 30 Aizupiri exhibitions. We hope you will enjoy this final exhibition as a turning point in art history.
Paul Aizpiri (1919-2016)
Born in Paris in 1919. His father was a sculptor of Basque descent, and he began drawing at a young age in this privileged environment. He entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the age of 17, held his first solo exhibition in Paris at the age of 24, and was recommended as a member of the Salon d'Automne at the age of 26, earning high acclaim from a young age. His style of painting, with its boldly simplified brushstrokes and overflowing, rich colors, became increasingly mature.
Aizpiri has long been loved by collectors around the world, and his works are housed in museums across Europe and the United States, including the Museum of Fine Arts of the City of Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, as well as in Belgium, the Netherlands, and other leading French museums. In Japan, his works are housed in museums such as the Yamagata Museum of Art and the Nakata Museum of Art in Onomichi City (also known as the Aizpiri Museum of Art), and he is also famous for the frescoes that decorate the walls of the hall at the Hotel New Otani (Hakata, Tokyo).
Seiji Tamenaga x Eyespir
1975
In 1957, accompanied by Tsuguharu Foujita, he was introduced to Aizpiri at the Galerie Petrides in Paris. At the time, Aizpiri was 38 years old and Tamenaga was just 25 years old.
In March 1969, Galerie Tamenaga opened in Ginza. Aizpiri signed an exclusive contract with the gallery and held his first solo exhibition in July. Since then, he has held over 60 solo exhibitions at Galerie Tamenaga, including in Ginza, Osaka, and Paris.
Tamenaga frequently visited his Paris studio and his villas in Guéthary and Beauvallon, and deepened their friendship by giving him advice on his production.
1991
2009
In 2009, Tamenaga planned a grand party to celebrate Aizpiri's 90th birthday. Around this time, Tamenaga came up with a new style of work in which motifs dance and play in the air. In the half century since the gallery opened, Tamenaga has introduced more than 3,000 pieces of work to Japan.
Galerie Tamenaga Tokyo store relocated and opened
Galerie Tamenaga Tokyo will relocate to Kotto-dori in Minami-Aoyama this autumn, becoming a new hub for art, with its exhibition space three times larger than before.
Our gallery was founded in 1969 in Ginza, Tokyo as a gallery dealing in everything from modern masters to contemporary art, and for the past 56 years has been introducing many masterpieces to museums and collectors throughout Japan. We opened our fourth gallery in Paris and Osaka in 1971, and in Kyoto in 2021, and have now moved from our birthplace in Ginza to a new location.
To celebrate the opening of our new store on Kotto-dori, we will be holding an exhibition where 20 artists currently active in our gallery will be showcasing works created especially for this occasion.
[New store information]
Opening date: Autumn 2025 New address: 107-0062
6-5-39 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Antique Street)
Time: Mon-Sat 11:00-19:00 / Sun & Holidays 11:00-17:00
[Exhibition Overview]
Paul Aizpiri Exhibition, nurtured by art dealer Seiji Tamenaga <br /> Dates: July 12th (Sat) – August 17th (Sun), 2025
Opening reception: Saturday, July 12th, 16:00-18:00
Venue: Galerie Tamenaga Time: Mon-Sat 11:00-19:00 / Sun & Holidays 11:00-17:00
Official site: www.tamenaga.com
From Galerie Tamenaga Co., Ltd. 's press release
<Past related articles>
Galerie Tamenaga announces the holding of the "Yamamoto Daiya Exhibition" (Saturday, May 24th – Ginza, Tokyo)
Galerie Tamenaga announces Lorenzo Fernandez Exhibition (Saturday, March 22nd – Ginza, Tokyo)
Galerie Tamenaga announces the Bernard Buffet Exhibition (Saturday, September 21st – Ginza, Tokyo)
