The exhibition at the National Museum in Wrocław (Four Domes Pavilion) is a presentation of works by three contemporary artists born in Japan, who moved to Europe at the start of their career – Koji Kamoji (b. 1935), Yoshio Nakajima (b. 1940) and Keiji Uematsu (b. 1947). Whilst educated in Japan, they created their artistic work within another culture, becoming important representatives of the contemporary artistic milieu.

Despite the very lively avant-garde, now legendary, artistic scene of the 1950s and the 1960s in Japan, many young artists decided to emigrate to Europe and the United States. Kamoji, Nakajima and Uematsu left their country during the Cold War, and settled down in diverse locations and geopolitical contexts – Kamoji in Poland, Nakajima in Sweden, and Uematsu in the then West Germany.

From an artistic viewpoint, all three share an interest in philosophy and Nature, as well as the genealogy of conceptual art, along with their involvement in site-specific actions using exhibition space, yet each of them creates artistic work of a different kind.

The selection of exhibits was carried out in close cooperation between curators and artists themselves, thus the exhibition showcases some older pieces of work, as well as those contemporary, and the very latest – in fact Yoshio Nakajima completed one of his works right in front of the audience gathered at its opening.

The exhibition comprises various artistic media, from painting, drawing, sculpture, film and photography, to records of performances. The first section of the exhibition is of a contemplative character, providing an opportunity for direct confrontation with works created by Keiji Uematsu and Koji Kamoji. Visitors can watch a large-screen video presentation in which Uematsu addresses one of the main subjects recurring in his art – the invisible, yet fundamental force of gravity. Another of his pieces, which may surprise its audience, is the glass-and-stone object, defying the laws of physics. This section also includes photograph and film realisations by Uematsu, accompanied by a meditative sound element of a countdown recited in Japanese.

The exhibition is available from 1 March to 31 May 2026.

Curators of the exhibition: Iwona Dorota Bigos (PL), Martin Schibli (SE)

Read more: https://mnwr.pl/en/sunrise-in-the-west/