We are pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition organized by the Wood One Museum of Art in Hiroshima Prefecture:
“Osamu WATANABE’s Sweets Art — The Museum of Sweets”,
which will be held from Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, September 7.
Osamu WATANABE, renowned for his whimsical sculptures adorned with pure white whipped cream and colorful macaroons, invites viewers into a dreamy world that elicits smiles and nostalgia. As a contemporary artist, Watanabe pioneered the integration of confectionery motifs into fine art, transforming food sample aesthetics into captivating sculptures. Since his notable debut, he has actively exhibited both domestically and internationally, earning recognition for his extensive contributions to museum exhibitions across Japan.
Approximately 100 pieces will be showcased in this exhibition, including works inspired by sea creatures, forest animals, dresses and furniture, as well as reinterpretations of iconic masterpieces by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Jakuchu Ito.
Among the highlights is “Cream painting -Choju Kaboku-zu Byobu-”, a large-scale piece from the collection of gallery UG.
In addition, gallery talks and hands-on workshops will also be held.
Please visit the official website for further details.
If you are in the area, we warmly invite you to stop by and enjoy this unique experience.
Admission Fees:
Adults: ¥1,500 (¥1,350 in advance)
University and high school students: ¥1,000 (¥900 in advance)
Elementary and junior high school students: ¥300
Seniors (65 and older): ¥1,400
One accompanying person of a visitor with a disability certificate: ¥800
- Children below school age and individuals with a disability certificate are admitted free of charge (please present your certificate).
- Advance ticket prices apply only to adults and students.
- Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more paid visitors.
- Students and seniors are asked to present a valid student ID or proof of age.
- The admission fee also includes access to the museum’s permanent collections (Meissen porcelain, Art Nouveau glassware, Satsuma ware).
Organizers: Wood One Museum of Art, Chugoku Shimbun
Supporters: Hiroshima City Board of Education, Hatsukaichi City Board of Education, RCC Broadcasting, Hiroshima TV, Home TV, TSS TV Shin-Hiroshima, Hiroshima FM, FM Chu-Pee 76.6MHz, FM Hatsukaichi 76.1MHz
Special Sponsor: YAMADAYA Co., Ltd.
Cooperation: Hiroshima Confectionery Association, gallery UG
Planning: M\&M COLOR
gallery UG is pleased to present the “Laissez-Faire Painting Exhibition,” on view from Sunday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at ART GALLERY 2 on the 10th floor of Daimaru Tokyo.
Laissez-faire is a French phrase meaning “let it go” or “let it be.” In the fields of economics and politics, it refers to a philosophy that minimizes government intervention and emphasizes the freedom of individuals and markets. The term originates from the ideas of Adam Smith, known as the father of modern economics in England.
The 18th century, when Smith lived, was a time of great modernization, marked by rapid technological innovation and economic development. Similarly, we find ourselves today at another significant turning point in history. The exhibition title reflects a recurring theme at gallery UG: the belief that in uncertain times, the sense of liberation brought about by free artistic expression is more essential than ever.
From June 15 to 24, the exhibition will feature artists whose primary focus is two-dimensional work. In addition to oil and acrylic paintings, the show will also include lenticular and silkscreen prints.
gallery UG is pleased to present “Don’t worry,” a solo exhibition by Takaoki Tajima, to be held from Sunday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at ART GALLERY 1 on the 10th floor of Daimaru Tokyo.
Takaoki Tajima has expanded his practice from sculpture to painting, embracing a free and multifaceted style that defies conventional frameworks. His works are highly regarded for their distinctive approach—transforming pessimistic themes with a touch of humor. Within bold, colorful compositions, enigmatic characters with mysterious expressions and movements captivate viewers and stir complex, indescribable emotions.
In 2020, Tajima held a solo exhibition in New York and has since participated in international art fairs in New York, Vancouver, and Taiwan. His work continues to garner attention both in Japan and overseas.
This exhibition, “Don’t worry,” presents a series of new works infused with surreal and unconventional humor. We invite you to experience the singular, imaginative world of Takaoki Tajima.
gallery UG is pleased to announce its participation in "Intersect: Tokyo Art Currents", held at the Art Gallery within Tokyo Square Garden from June 6 (Fri) to August 1 (Fri), 2025.
Representing gallery UG, two artists—Rei ITAYA and Mika CHIBA—will be participating in the exhibition.
We are pleased to announce that gallery UG Osaka Umeda will present Ryosuke KAWAHIRA’s solo exhibition “Lost in Laundry” from Wednesday, June 11 to Tuesday, July 8.
We look forward to welcoming you to the gallery!
Ryosuke KAWAHIRA, who has been one of the gallery’s exclusive artists, was selected from the 2019 UG Project “KONSHIN-TEN”, which is a part of our activities to discover and nurture young artists for around 20 years now.
Recently, he has been making his mark in various places through his remarkable activities, including a solo show at Ginza Tsutaya, a group exhibition in Macau, a solo exhibition at gallery UG Tennoz, and participating in Art Fair Tokyo.
KAWAHIRA transferred the traumas from his imaginative childhood into unique works of art. Using actual briefs as canvas, he depicts the nightmares he had and the ghosts and monsters he imagined.
It seems to be an atonement for the fact that he wet his briefs when he was a child because he could not go to the bathroom in time.
In recent years, he has begun to work more on canvas, and the brief that used to be his material to paint on, has appeared as a hero in his paintings. As his child was born and grew up, the characters overlapped with his own childhood memories and came to be projected more vividly.
At the same time, his work, composed of clear, bold outlines and simple, vividly colored backgrounds, and further comicalized, contains elements of Superflat which has been gaining attention in the contemporary Japanese art scene.
gallery UG
"I wonder where the ghosts and monsters I met in my dreams when I was a child have gone.
As I grew older, my dreams began to become more real, I stopped having nightmares, I don't wear briefs anymore, and I no longer wet the bed.
The battle of bedwetting came to an end, and peace at last...
'Good Night' is a signal for them to fight.
I am sure that in someone's dreams, the bed-wetting battle may still be raging."
gallery UG is pleased to announce its participation in “Chill Art Summer [ART colours vol.44],” held at Park Hotel Tokyo (25th Floor) from Monday, May 19 to Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Representing gallery UG, the exhibition will feature works by Junko ASANO, Rei ITAYA, Shoichi OKUMURA, Takaoki TAJIMA, Mika CHIBA, Keitoku TOIZUMI, Takayuki NIWA, Nobuko NUMANO, Kunihiko NOHARA, Misako MAEGAKI, and Osamu WATANABE.
The exhibition is open to the public and can be enjoyed by both hotel guests and visitors alike.
The exhibition from summer to autumn 2025, gallery UG will present an art exhibition at Park Hotel Tokyo.
In the midst of our busy lives, we all need moments to quietly unwind and reconnect with ourselves. These “chill-out” moments are essential to our well-being.
This exhibition is designed to offer guests a peaceful, healing experience through art, an opportunity to truly feel what it means to “chill.”
The first installment of this series is titled “chill art Summer,” featuring artworks inspired by the season of summer. From playful accents to eye-catching focal points in everyday life, the artworks on display promise to offer presence and calm. If a piece resonates with you, it may even become a companion in your own chill-out time at home.
We invite you to take your time and immerse yourself in a tranquil encounter with art in the serene atmosphere of Park Hotel Tokyo.
Please note: The artworks on display may be rotated without prior notice during the exhibition period.
[Curated by] gallery UG
[Design] Design Studio PHT
[Video Production] antymark annex
[Organized by] Park Hotel Tokyo
"Connecting artworks to people, connecting people to each other through art."
galleryUG are always there for our artists.
We will grow together with the artists and support them from production to promotion.
We aim to further enrich and expand the contemporary art scene by proposing the ideal way for galleries to be.
In moments when I feel like I’m in a place independent of my surroundings,
I sometimes feel like I’m in a different time and space.
The feeling is like clouds or smoke that change shape with no regard for time
that people have to live by, and it also feels like a space of my own.
To turn, various scenes that came up in my imagination from things I encountered.
To express freedom, time and desires that are on the verge of being discarded from memory.
That is what is important, in order for me to be me and for a person to be them self.
2F TERRADA ART COMPLEX Ⅱ, 1-32-8, Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
8 minutes walk from Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit Rinkai Line(Exit B)
11 minutes walk from Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Line Tennozu Isle Station(Central Exit)
3F TERRADA ART COMPLEX Ⅱ, 1-32-8, Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
8 minutes walk from Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit Rinkai Line(Exit B)
11 minutes walk from Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Line Tennozu Isle Station(Central Exit)
11F Daimaru Umeda Department Store
3-1-1, Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka
From JR Osaka Station from 1-minute walk/JR Kita-Shinchi Station a 6-minute walk
From Midosuji Line Umeda Station from 2-minute walk/Tanimachi Line Higashi-Umeda Station from 8-minute walk/Yotsubashi Line Nishi-Umeda Station a 4-minute walk
From Hankyu Umeda Station from 13-minute walk/Hanshin Umeda Station a 12-minute walk
This is a production studio for exclusive artists of gallery UG, which will open in 2020. It was built to approach and support artists from a long-term perspective.
