Regarding our exhibition at "IWATAYA Life with Art"

Contemporary art gallery YUGEN Gallery (operated by Gene Co., Ltd.) will be participating for the second consecutive year in "IWATAYA Life with Art," held at Iwataya Main Store in Fukuoka from Friday, September 25 to Monday, September 28, 2026.

"IWATAYA Life with Art" is a major art event that has been held at Iwataya in Fukuoka since 2022. It aims to inspire people's sensibilities through art and propose the richness of incorporating art into daily life. During the event, artists and galleries mainly from Kyushu and Asia will participate, showcasing diverse works and events to promote a new lifestyle with art.

From YUGEN Gallery, Yoichiro Otani and sion will be exhibiting. This exhibition is linked to "Beyond Words, Outside Meaning," an exhibition held concurrently at YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA, and aims to explore the relationship between "words" and "images" across both venues.

We understand things through words and perceive the world through the images they create.
Yoichiro Otani expresses images born from the form, sound, and meaning of characters as visual poems using Kanji on his canvases.

sion combines calligraphy with neon, LED, and everyday objects to highlight the "discrepancy" that arises between words and reality.

Through the distinct expressions of these two artists, we will explore the relationship between words and images and the expanding nature of meaning that emerges from it. We invite you to visit both the Iwataya Main Store and YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA to enjoy the connections between the works displayed at each venue and the breadth of expression.

This event also takes place during Fukuoka Art Week, when the entire city is enveloped in art, offering a diverse range of art experiences unique to Fukuoka. We sincerely look forward to seeing you at this event that enriches Fukuoka's art scene. Please look forward to it!

IWATAYA Life with Art Event Overview

■ Period: Friday, September 25, 2026 – Monday, September 28, 2026

■ Hours: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

　　　　　*Ends at 5:00 PM only on the last day, Monday, September 29
■ Venue: Iwataya Main Store, 7th Floor Event Hall / Main Building, 2nd Floor Gallery CONTAINER

■ Address: 2-5-35 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City

■ Admission: Free

Linked Exhibition "Beyond Words, Outside Meaning" Event Overview

■ Period: Friday, September 11, 2026 – Sunday, October 4, 2026

■ Artist Attendance: To be determined

■ Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM　

　　　　　 *Ends at 5:00 PM on the last day only

■ Closed: Tuesdays

■ Venue: YUGEN Gallery FUKUOKA

■ Address: Stage 1 Nishidori 4F, 2-1-4 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

■ Admission: Free

*Details on the artists' attendance schedule will be updated as soon as they are decided. Please check the gallery's Instagram for the latest information.

Yoichiro Otani

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1990. Completed the doctoral program in Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts. During his studies, he participated in an exchange program at Tsinghua University. He received the Salon de Printemps Award for his graduation work "ki" and the Nomura Art Award for "ki/u." He explores new contexts and poetic imagery emerging from the intersection of form, sound, and meaning, by superimposing the inherent chains between characters onto the rhythms of all creation.

To the artist page

Shion

Calligrapher and linguistic artist. Based on classical calligraphy, she creates works using text and language as material, traversing various media such as handwriting, fonts, and ready-made objects. She reconstructs the relationship between words and matter, meaning and visual perception, exploring new possibilities for "sho" (calligraphy) from a unique perspective that oscillates between tradition and modernity.

To the artist page