Weaving Scenery with Harmony

This exhibition explores how the concept of "Japanese aesthetics" evolves over time through the perspectives of five contemporary artists—Shinichi Kaneko, Jasmine Noda, Rintaro Hashiguchi, Kanji Hasegawa, and Yuka Mori—who each experiment with new expressions in the fields of painting, calligraphy, sculpture, and ceramics.

Curated in collaboration with independent curator Kentaro Watanabe, based in Kyoto, this exhibition expands upon the project "Discovering Beauty through Harmony," which was co-organized by Watanabe and ACA at MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 2024. By unraveling the cultural and historical layers of Azabu, where WALL_alternative is located, the exhibition seeks to create a dialogue between place and art. Additionally, with the cooperation of Kyoto-based YOKOYAMA TATAMI, a newly designed exhibition space will be unveiled.

WALL_alternative will also serve as a key venue for GAIEN-NISHI ART WEEKEND, a city-wide art event taking place from March 14 (Fri) to March 16 (Sun). The exhibition will open with an Opening Party on March 14 (Fri), followed by a Talk Session with participating artists on March 15 (Sat), and the ART FILM PROGRAM on March 16 (Sun), featuring video works by 14 artists.

Throughout the exhibition period, the adjacent bar will offer a special collaboration menu inspired by the exhibition, inviting visitors to enjoy art alongside a unique culinary experience.

Weaving Landscapes with Harmony

Azabu, Tokyo—an area rich in history and culture, where Japan’s past and present intertwine. During the Edo period, Azabu flourished as an “Upper Town” where samurai resided, marking a time of cultural and artistic development alongside the rise of merchant culture. In the modern era, it became a hub for the confluence of Western aesthetics and Japan’s spiritual sensibilities. After World War II, during the nation’s economic growth, Azabu firmly established itself as an "international cultural crossroads," where art and urban landscapes became deeply interwoven. Today, the historical significance of this area symbolizes the harmony and dialogue between tradition and innovation in art.

This exhibition presents the work of five contemporary artists who incorporate traditional Japanese aesthetics and philosophy into their creative process. Through their perspectives, we examine how our perception of beauty shifts over time and how art transforms in response to the present.

In painting, calligraphy, sculpture, and ceramics, these artists reinterpret Japan’s aesthetic sensibilities to create new modes of expression. How do elements deeply rooted in Japanese art—such as ma (negative space), the passage of time, the impermanence of nature, and philosophical concepts like mujō (impermanence)—manifest in today’s society?

At the intersection of past and future, tradition and innovation, this exhibition explores the harmony between artwork and space, the dialogue between artwork and viewer, and the conversations sparked among those present. Each encounter offers the potential for new interpretations of “scenery.”

Through this exhibition, we hope visitors will reflect on how the philosophy and values of Japanese aesthetics continue to evolve in the modern era. May the “scenery” woven at WALL_alternative in Nishi-Azabu honor the past while fostering new perspectives for the future.

Curator: Kentaro Watanabe