Exhibitions 2023

“The Zodiac Sign 2024 “Dragon” + Good Luck Charms + Christmas” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday November 15th ~ Saturday December 9th, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
Dragon, the zodiac sign of 2024, is the only fictional creature out of 12 zodiac animals.
There is a big difference in how dragons are perceived in the West and the East. In the West, they are typically portrayed as villainous nuisances that bring misery to people’s lives or kidnap a beautiful princess in fairy tales. They have the body of a dinosaur but with wings on their back, and even breathe fire. On the other hand, dragons in the East, often deified, can make it rain or save villages. They are long and slender like snakes and often holding a spherical gem in their claws. All these dragons, each with own unique personality, remain popular today as manga and anime characters.
For this exhibition, artists were asked to create zodiac-themed senga with dragon - strong, majestic and the owner of supernatural power - as a creative motif. We hope you will enjoy each artist’s interpretation of this popular mythical creature along with the Lucky Charms and Christmas-themed senga works.
 

“Brown is the Color of Autumn” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday October 11th ~ Saturday October 28th, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
Brown is truly a versatile color. Yellowish ocher, reddish color of autumn foliage, blackish dark brown as well as light beige, all of which would fall within the brown color family. For this exhibition, we’ve picked brown as the creative theme because of its versatility.
Brown, the earth color, can be seen throughout all four seasons yet many people recognized it as the color most representative of the fall season. The color of withered tree branches and fallen leaves as well as that of autumn harvests such as chestnuts and mushrooms. Brown is often featured in ladies’ fashion too… In fact, many beaches, mountains and cities are adorned with a varying shades of brown around this time of the year.
We’d like you all to enjoy the different shades of autumn brown in this exhibition. Take your time and enjoy the show.
 

“Human Body” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday August 30th ~ Saturday September 16th, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
The theme for the latest Senga Art & Space Gallery exhibition, entitled “Human Body,” is a little different from our usual exhibition themes as it has more practical – physical – and even earthy significances. Yet when you think of the human body, with all its movements and what they mean, you’d realize that it is a theme that offers a wide range of creative possibilities for the artists.
When you see the artworks in this exhibition in the light of athletic and dance activities that involve physical movements, hand-feet motions and their meanings, the roles of brain and internal organs, the true nature of humans as a whole that is often overlooked in our daily life may become exposed.
Though we live in one ourselves, there still remains much mystery regarding the human body and its detailed functions. This exhibition was designed with my desire to let artists to re-examine this enigma called human body and reinvent it. It’s a theme with a multitude of possibilities to dig deeper artistically.
We are excited to bring you the first installment of Human Body exhibitions.
Please enjoy the show.
 

“Waves” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday Jun 14th ~ July 1st, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
n expectation of upcoming summer season, we chose “Waves” to be the theme for this exhibition.
Most of us are likely to picture beaches and oceans in our mind when we hear the word “summer”. There have been many masterpiece paintings in history depicting seas and waves. As such, Hokusai Katsushika’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa comes to mind. That being said, there are other “waves” around us such as a wave of people, a wave of emotions, brain waves, wave motions and sound waves.
A wave is defined as “propagation of disturbances from place to place in a regular, organic way.” Within a wave, there are many “things” and “movements” that form constantly changing shapes. For this exhibition, artists have created different kinds of waves using senga techniques.
As summer approaches, and with more occasions to venture outside, we’ll have increased opportunities to see and enjoy summer sceneries in upcoming days.
The actual ocean waves, waves of clouds in the sky and a wave of people you may encounter in popular resorts this summer. Perhaps you will enjoy them more after seeing the senga works in this exhibition.
Thank you very much for joining us for the exhibition.
 

“Legends of Ogre” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday May 10th ~ Saturday May 27th, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
The creative theme for this exhibition, “Legends of Ogre (Oni),” was chosen to coincide with the opportunity in which we – senga artists – are commissioned by Tottori prefecture to create senga works based on the “Legend of Mt. Senzoku Ogres.”
Throughout Japan, there is a great number of ogre stories unique to each local region. They include old fairy tales such as Momotaro (The Peach Boy), Issun Boshi (The Inch-High Samurai), Kobutori Jiisan (The Old Man with a Lump) and bad ogre tales such as Shuten Doji (Sake-Loving Ogre) and Ama-no-Jaku (Devil’s Advocate) as well as Hannya, the female evil spirit/ghost in traditional Noh plays. Additionally, there are Namahage and other nationally-famous and popular local ogres.
For this exhibition, I asked the artists to create a wide range of ogre-themed senga works.
The images of ogres are familiar sites in Japan. In addition to old tales, they can be found in other applications as roof tiles and cornerstones for temples and shrines. Not all ogres are nuisance to humans. There are friendly ones that help people and are loved throughout the country.
There are too many kinds of ogres in Japanese culture, with each having a different personality, to include in just one exhibition. It could be fun to start looking around for other ogres by taking this opportunity. If you know any interesting ogre stories, please share them with us.
Thank you very much for joining us for the exhibition.
 

“Fluffy” （E）

Exhibition Date: Wednesday March 22th ~ Saturday April 8th, 2023
Gallery Hours: Wed~Sat, 12PM~6PM Closed Sun~Tue
 
The 2023 Senga Art & Space exhibition season has arrived. The theme for this year’s spring exhibition is Fluffy.
What does the word “fluffy” remind you of? Feathery comforters? Furry kittens? Or clouds in the sky that look like huge cotton candies? Maybe those mouth-watering perfect pancakes?
In Japanese, “fluffy” has a variety of meanings. In addition to things that are soft and comfortable, it is also used to describe the sense of drifting, floating as well as the state of uncertainty. As such, “fluffy” in Japanese could represent not only the feeling of warmth and tenderness but also the sense of restlessness.
For this exhibition, I asked the artists to create “fluffy” in senga. Take a short outdoor walk in spring and you will be introduced to all kinds of fluffiness such as dandelion puffs and soft pussy willow.
I hope you will have fun comparing your image of fluffy with that of the artists in this exhibition.
Please enjoy the exhibition.