Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition "You Are Beautiful" at WHAT MUSEUM, Tennoz, Tokyo

(Tokyo, Japan) WHAT MUSEUM, the museum of contemporary art and architecture operated by Warehouse TERRADA, is currently hosting Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” until March 1st (Sun), 2026.

This marks Atsushi Suwa’s first large-scale solo exhibition in three years. The exhibition features 82 works, including a new series of still life paintings and portraits, and offers various perspectives on the evolution of his creative activities until now.

(Image Above)WHAT MUSEUM Exhibition View Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” Photo by Keizo KIOKU

Atsushi Suwa is a leading painter of contemporary Japanese realism. Grounded in extensive research, his work captures the subject using his exceptional technical mastery. His research driven works, which depict invisible subjects such as victims of war and characters from mythology and classical literature, have been highly acclaimed in recent years. This exhibition chronicles the artist’s journey, placing his latest large-scale painting, At the Shore, at its core alongside his significant past works.

According to Suwa, the self-reflection and isolation in his studio triggered by the pandemic and his quiet days caring for his mother until her death—during which he was detached from a world afflicted by war and disaster—gradually deprived him of the desire to portray humans. This exhibition documents how the extraordinary portrait painter overcame this obstacle and rekindled his passion. It also introduces the ongoing contemplation and creativity of Suwa, a self-disciplined pursuer of “seeing and depicting” with his keen eyes and dexterous hand.

WHAT MUSEUM Exhibition View Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” Photo by Keizo KIOKU

WHAT MUSEUM Exhibition View Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” Photo by Keizo KIOKU

WHAT MUSEUM Exhibition View Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” Photo by Keizo KIOKU

[Profile of Atsushi Suwa]

Painter. Born in 1967 in Hokkaido, Japan. He completed the Master’s Program in the Fine Arts Course (Oil Painting) at the Graduate School of Art and Design, Musashino Art University. In 1994, he stayed in Spain under the Overseas Study Program for Artists of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. In 1995, he received the First Class Award at the 5th Concurso International de Pintura organized by the Fundacion Barcelo, Spain. Since 2018, he has been a professor in the Oil Painting Department of the Fine Arts Course at the College of Art and Design, Musashino Art University. His major exhibitions include “Can’t see anything anyway” (Suwa City Museum of Art, 2011), “Atsushi Suwa HARBIN 1945 WINTER” (Gallery Naruyama, 2016), and “Fire in the Medial Orbito-Frontal Cortex” (Fuchu Art Museum, 2022).

Portrait photo: Sakiko Nomura

[Overview of the Exhibition]

Title: Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful”

Dates: September 11th (Thu), 2025 – March 1st (Sun), 2026

Venue: WHAT MUSEUM (Warehouse TERRADA G Building, 2-6-10 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002)

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Admission until 5:00 PM)

Closed on: Mondays (but open when Monday is a public holiday, then closed the following Tuesday) and New Year’s holidays (December 29th (Mon), 2025 – January 3rd (Sat), 2026) * Open on January 5th (Mon), 2026

Admission: Adults 1,500 yen / University or vocational college students 800 yen / Students under high school age Free

Organizing: WHAT MUSEUM

Planning: WHAT MUSEUM and Takenori Miyamoto (Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts)

Special Cooperation: Kaori Fujino

Cooperation: Gallery Naruyama

Endorsement: Shinagawa City

URL: https://what.warehouseofart.org/en/exhibitions/suwa-atsushi-en

[Highlights]

– First large-scale solo exhibition in three years

The exhibition features 82 pieces, ranging from representative works to the most recent creations. These include early masterpieces combining nudes and skulls, portraits of deceased individuals commissioned by their families, and a series depicting the artist’s own family. On view for the first time are 39 pieces, including a still-life painting created specifically for this exhibition. Curated by Takenori Miyamoto, the exhibition is divided into five themed rooms that introduce Suwa’s painting journey from different perspectives.

– The latest large-scale piece, At the Shore, breaks new ground beyond still-life and portrait painting

This exhibition’s highlight, At the Shore, is the culmination of the artist’s exploration of still-life painting in his home studio while caring for his family during the pandemic, when he refrained from inviting any models. Suwa says that he “lost the passion to paint people” after the pandemic. This large painting depicts a human-like figure, a bricolage made of found objects from his studio, such as old skeletal specimens, plaster, and exterior wall filler. The bricolaged human-like figure and rough sketches documenting the creative process are also on display.

– Documentary film of Suwa at work in his studio

A documentary film closely following the production process of At the Shore is being screened. Visitors can enjoy this beautiful film capturing Suwa’s meticulous painting process and his studio filled with various art materials, motifs, and books.

– Story by Kaori Fujino meets painting by Atsushi Suwa

Akutagawa Prize-winning author Kaori Fujino visited Suwa at work in his studio, and wrote a short story inspired by his still-life paintings. The story is printed as a booklet and handed out to visitors. This art-literature collaboration invites visitors to discover what kind of story emerges from his still-life paintings, which he describes as “things that are dead and still.”

– Catalogue featuring new works and the exhibition

An exhibition catalogue detailing the production process of new works will be published during the exhibition period. Featuring commentary by Takenori Miyamoto and the short story by Kaori Fujino, the catalogue will fully capture the magic of Suwa’s art and recreate the exhibition in print.

[Supplementary Short Story, Farewell]

Coinciding with the exhibition, a booklet of a short story, Farewell, by fiction writer Kaori Fujino, is published and given to all visitors. This art-literature collaboration is an attempt to create a story set in the present day, inspired by a realistic pictorial expression integrating classical techniques, which Suwa himself calls a “zombified pictorial style.”

– Profile of Kaori Fujino

Fiction writer. She was awarded the 103rd “Bungakukai Prize for New Writers” for “Iyaii Tori” [The Greedy Bird] (Kawade Bunko) in 2006, the 149th “Akutagawa Prize” for “Tsume to me” [Nails and Eyes] (Shincho Bunko) in 2013, and the 2nd “Frau Bungei Taisho” for “O hanashi shite ko-chan” [Little Miss Tell-Me-a-Story] (Kodansha Bunko) in 2014. Her recent works include “Raise no Kioku” (Kadokawa), “Pieta to Transi” [Pieta and Transi] (Kodansha Bunko), and “Aoki Kirara no Chottoshita Boken” (Kodansha), and more.

[Related Programs]

Suwa’s work is produced based on research in diverse areas beyond art history, techniques, and materials, including history, folklore, and clinical medicine. During the exhibition period, a series of talk events will be held, inviting experts who have connections with Suwa to explore his painting style and themes from various perspectives. Details will be announced in due course.

[Audio Guides]

By downloading the official WHAT MUSEUM app, visitors can use the audio guide when visiting the museum. (Free) It offers accessible explanations of the artworks on display and highlights of the exhibition to help visitors better appreciate the exhibition.

[About WHAT MUSEUM]

WHAT MUSEUM, operated by Warehouse TERRADA, is a unique museum that only a warehouse company could create—transforming warehouse space into a place for encountering contemporary art and architecture. The name of WHAT (WAREHOUSE OF ART TERRADA) implies the cultural value which is gleaming quietly in the warehouse, and the museum exhibits two- and three-dimensional works as well as architectural models, photographs, films, literature and installations. By showcasing artworks entrusted to Warehouse TERRADA by collectors and artists, the museum bridges artwork storage, exhibition, and engagement. Moreover, as a hub of the international art district, Tennoz, Tokyo, it serves as a nucleus for the local art community, bringing art and culture from the warehouse space to the world.

https://what.warehouseofart.org/en

[About Warehouse TERRADA]

Established in 1950 and located in Tennoz, Tokyo, Warehouse TERRADA has developed dedicated storage services for highly specialized items such as artworks, wine, media, and confidential documents. In particular, the art storage service, first launched in 1975, has expanded into artwork restoration, transportation, exhibitions, and other related solutions, all available in one-stop. In 2014, we began operating a bonded warehouse for artworks. In 2022, we launched a new space that functions as a permanent gallery venue allowing for viewings, storage, and more under bonded conditions, aiming to further invigorate art distribution. We also operate art studios available for rent and host the TERRADA ART AWARD, supporting emerging artists. These initiatives earned us the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award in 2018. In recent years, Warehouse TERRADA has opened several facilities that promote art and culture, including the museum of contemporary art and architecture WHAT MUSEUM, art gallery cafe WHAT CAFE, art materials lab PIGMENT TOKYO and TERRADA ART COMPLEX, one of Japan’s largest gallery complexes. Through these broad-ranging art industry operations, and as a leading company in the Japanese art world, we provide services that contribute to revitalizing the art market and developing Tennoz into the world’s most exciting art capital.