Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore (GINZA SIX 6F, Chuo-ku, Tokyo) will host a group exhibition titled "On Transience" by Izumi Akiyama, Nobuaki Onishi, Yugo Korogi, and Kajin Kim, from September 19th (Sat) to October 7th (Wed), at the in-store art space FOAM CONTEMPORARY.
Special Feature Page | https://store.tsite.jp/ginza/event/art/56594-1024450903.html
(Top visual: On transience | Yugo Kōrogi)
On transience | Yugo Kōrogi
overview
In response to the theme of "ephemerality" put forward by Yugo Korogi, Izumi Akiyama, Nobuaki Onishi, and Ka-Jin Kim are participating in this exhibition. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures, and other methods, they confront the elusive and ever-changing nature of things.
Around us, there are things that undeniably exist, such as light, bodily sensations, the presence of things, and memories, yet are difficult to define clearly. Furthermore, between seeing and existence, between the real thing and a replica, and between personal experience and relationships with others, a constantly shifting, ambiguous realm emerges.
This exhibition seeks to view transience not simply as something that "disappears," but as a sensation that temporarily arises between different entities. Through the intersecting space of the four artists' works, we turn our attention to the fluctuations and presences that we usually cannot grasp, and consider our relationship with the ever-changing world.
Artist Statement
The exhibition at the Shiranuhi Museum of Art in Uki City, Kumamoto, which was originally scheduled to be held, has been canceled due to the recent Kumamoto earthquake. We think of the many things that were lost in this disaster, and the people in the affected areas who are still going through a very difficult time, and we sincerely hope that peaceful days will return as soon as possible.
The theme of "transience" is connected to the legend of the place name "Shiranui".
"Long ago, when Emperor Keiko visited Kyushu, he lost his way at sea at night. He relied on a mysterious fire he could see in the distance to safely reach the shore. When the emperor asked the local people, 'Who is the owner of that fire?' they replied, 'Nobody knows,' and that's how the fire came to be called Shiranuhi (unknown fire)."
The presence that appears in the darkness and guides people without a clear outline resonates with the concept of "ephemerality" explored in this exhibition. For example, the Buddhist concept of impermanence includes the understanding that "everything changes." This exhibition focuses on such feelings that slip away when you try to grasp them, feelings that are just before they can be put into clear words. Like the "unknown fire" that guided people in the dark sea long ago, I believe we can find richness and beauty in things that are uncertain, wavering, and eventually disappearing.
Yugo Kōrogi
Regarding sales
The exhibited artworks will be available for purchase starting at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 19th.
Some of the artworks will also be available for purchase on the art e-commerce platform "OIL" from 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September 22nd to 11:59 PM on Wednesday, October 7th.
*Depending on the pre-sale situation, sales may end before the start of the event.
Artist Profile
Izumi Akiyama
[Still Life XXVI] 2010-2026, H970×W1303mm, pencil, paper
Born in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture in 1982. Graduated from the Department of Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2007. Completed graduate studies in painting at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2009. Through the delicate gradations of light and deep space created by layering pencils, he depicts a presence, mystery, and tranquil world that transcends the form of still life. He is exploring a unique expression that eliminates outlines and integrates the subject and background. Major solo exhibitions include "San Galerie" in Taipei and "Art on paper Amsterdam" in the Netherlands in 2025, and "Drawing Now Art Fair" in Paris in 2024. Major group exhibitions include "MoCAF" in BGC, Philippines in 2026, "Condensing Existence" at Kobayashi Gallery in Tokyo, and "Art Fair Philippines" in Makati, Philippines in 2026.
Nobuaki Onishi
《Tool box #4》 Painted resin, W370×D150×H205mm (Photo: Hikaru Okawara)
Born in Okayama Prefecture in 1972. Completed graduate studies in printmaking at Kyoto City University of Arts in 1998.
The artist creates object multiples by molding and coloring natural objects and other materials in resin, and using structures that involve replication and inversion. By deliberately combining textures that are indistinguishable from the real thing with transparent parts, the artist expresses the concept of "in-between," and questions the nature of "existence" and "originality" by incorporating various aspects such as thinness and mirror-like surfaces. The concepts cultivated while acquiring printmaking techniques are clearly evident in the print works produced in parallel with the three-dimensional works. Furthermore, since 2011, the artist has continued a project born from dialogue with artist Kazuo Okazaki, and collaborated on the multiple work "Born Twice."
Yugo Kohrogi
《30.01%》2025, oil on canvas, H500×W727mm / Portrait photography: Hisatomo Eto
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1982. Completed graduate studies at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts in 2009. Focusing on the motif of the human body, she explores the expansion of painterly qualities by paying attention to ambiguous and ever-changing elements such as light, color, and vision. Major exhibitions include "Shiranuhi" (2026), Shiranuhi Museum of Art, Kumamoto; "Aspiration for the Ever-Changing" (2025), Seiriki Museum of Art, Fukuoka; "VOCA 2023" (2023), Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo; "KYOTO STEAM 2022" (2022), Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto; and "Takahashi Collection: Faces and Abstraction" (2018), Kiyoharu Shirakaba Museum of Art, Yamanashi. Major awards include the "Fukuoka Art Award" (2025) and the "TERRADA ART AWARD" Excellence Award (2014). Major artist-in-residence programs include Spain and Bulgaria.
Jin Jiachen | Jin Jiachen | Kin Kashin
"Shedding old scales and breathing with new gills" H700 x W950mm, acrylic, pastel, cotton cloth
Born in China in 1993, she is based in Aichi Prefecture. In 2022, she completed her Master's degree in Oil Painting and Printmaking at Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts. Drawing inspiration from bodily sensations and the fluctuations that arise in relationships with others, she creates primarily drawings and paintings. Her major solo exhibitions include "An elephant in my heart" (Shanghai), "Running Beast" (Tokyo), and "Pickling Your Shadow in Salt" (Nagoya). She has received the GEISAI#22 & Classic MADSAKI Jury Prize, the Holbein Art Award, the 37th Holbein Scholarship, and the RE Award 2025. She has completed residencies at ASP in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Hazi in Iwakura City, Aichi Prefecture, and Brew Gallery in Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido.
Exhibition details
Izumi Akiyama, Nobuaki Onishi, Yugo Kōrogi, Kajin Kim, "On Transience"
Period｜September 19, 2026 (Sat) – October 7, 2026 (Wed)
Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Closing at 6:00 PM on the last day) Opening Reception: September 18th (Fri) 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
*No reservation is required; everyone is welcome to attend. During the reception, there will also be explanations of the works by participating artists and gallery talks.
Venue: Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore FOAM CONTEMPORARY
Organizer: Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore Curator: Yugo Korogi Admission: Free Closed: Mondays *The gallery will also be closed on September 21st (Monday, a public holiday).
Contact us | info.ginza@ccc.co.jp
Special Feature Page | https://store.tsite.jp/ginza/event/art/56594-1024450903.html
FOAM CONTEMPORARY
Combining the flexible concept of "liquid" with the conventional white cube-like space equipped with all the necessary facilities, this space, named "FOAM," represents an intermediate state that offers a multifaceted expression of the Japanese art scene.
The initial "O" in the logo is deliberately distorted to resemble a bubble. This represents the ever-changing contemporary art scene itself, while also symbolizing the free, flexible, and limitless expression of artists.
As a space for expression that explores and cultivates the value and appeal of art that transcends the life cycle while staying true to the actual times, we will introduce a variety of artists who deserve attention, regardless of their career or age.
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Ginza Tsutaya Bookstore
We connect art, Japanese culture, and daily life through books, proposing a lifestyle enriched by art.
Address: GINZA SIX 6F, 6-10-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
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CCC Art Lab
CCC Art Lab is a planning group within Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd., a planning company, that proposes "a life with art." Through our proposals for "a life with art," we aim to make art more accessible, make people's lives happier, and contribute to creating a better society. Based on the knowledge we have cultivated through many years of business experience in store planning, art media, product development, and event production, we propose projects with an approach that only we can offer.
https://www.ccc-artlab.jp/
[From a press release by Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC Art Lab)]
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