Nathan Sawaya is known as the world's first LEGO artist. Currently, his largest solo exhibition to date is being held at Discovery Times Square in New York. The venue is filled with world-famous masterpieces such as Munch's "The Scream" and "Aphrodite (commonly known as the Venus de Milo)." These are, of course, replicas, meticulously recreated entirely from LEGO bricks. Seeing these astonishingly precise reproductions, you might reconsider whether LEGO is just a toy.


Until Sunday, January 5.

Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo is currently hosting its first solo exhibition by a Japanese artist. The chosen artist is Mariko Mori, who is active on the international stage. The exhibition, themed "Infinite Renewal of Energy," features eight sculptural works. The first to catch the eye are three spirals extending from floor to ceiling. As they are drawn into the mirrored ceiling, they appear to stretch endlessly towards the sky. As you approach the works, a mechanism is incorporated where light reacts to human energy, delighting our eyes with its changing colors.
Until Sunday, January 5.

The long-running comic strip "Peanuts," which continued for over half a century from 1950, features unique characters created by Charles M. Schulz that continue to be loved worldwide. An exhibition delving deep into the world of "Peanuts" is currently being held at the Mori Arts Center. It showcases original drawings from the Charles M. Schulz Museum, making their Japanese debut, along with precious materials such as photographs and sketches taken before the birth of "Peanuts."
Until Sunday, January 5.

Keith Haring gained sudden fame for his "Subway Drawings" in New York City's subway stations. He worked with incredible energy for the decade leading up to his death in 1990. Did you know that there is a museum in Japan that houses over 150 of his works? It's the Nakamura Keith Haring Museum. The museum is currently holding an exhibition that explores the relationship between Haring and African art, revealing unexpected connections and presenting a new facet of Haring's work.
Until Monday, January 6.

The Mori Art Museum celebrates its 10th anniversary with "Roppongi Crossing," a triennial exhibition series. This fourth installment features two guest curators well-versed in contemporary Japanese art. In Japan, where social awareness has markedly increased since the earthquake, the exhibition attempts to foster productive discussions stemming from doubt towards societal norms and existing systems. It is a highly conceptual exhibition.
Until Monday, January 13.

Born in Czechoslovakia in 1938, Josef Koudelka photographed the invasion of Prague by Warsaw Pact troops in 1968. Fearing reprisal, he published the photos under the pseudonym P.P., an abbreviation for "Prague Photographer." In 1969, the Robert Capa Award was given to this anonymous work. He later left his homeland and gained high acclaim for his uniquely powerful works. This exhibition, the first retrospective in Asia, features over 280 pieces from his early career to his latest works, offering a comprehensive look at Koudelka's entire oeuvre.
Until Monday, January 13. Closed Mondays, December 28 - January 1.

After Polaroid ceased production of its instant film, The Impossible Project began creating instant film specifically for artistic purposes and has now developed a new device. "Instant Lab" allows users to develop images taken with their iPhone onto real instant film. The Impossible Project Space is currently exhibiting a giant mosaic artwork created with this Instant Lab. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the private spaces of various artists.
Until Monday, January 13.

Tokujin Yoshioka, whose works, born from free imagination and experimental creation, are highly acclaimed both in Japan and internationally, is currently holding his largest solo exhibition to date at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. Yoshioka recounts being captivated by the beauty of light during a visit to the Rosario Chapel designed by Matisse in his early twenties. The space, filled with the sunlight of the South of France and vibrant stained glass, inspired him to create spaces where light could be experienced in its entirety. This exhibition can be seen as the culmination of that lifelong aspiration.
Until Sunday, January 19. Closed Mondays, December 28 - January 1, and Tuesday, January 14.

Actor Masatoshi Nagase, known for his unique presence, also has a career as a photographer. His grandfather was a photographer, and to honor his grandfather's wish, which he had to abandon due to the turbulent post-war period, Nagase has been actively pursuing photography. An exhibition celebrating his 30th anniversary as an actor is currently being held at the Miyazaki Art Center in his hometown. The exhibition features photographs of Miyazaki's landscapes and traditional craftspeople, as well as fantastical images inspired by the region's mythology.
Until Sunday, January 19. Closed December 29 - January 2.

The exhibition series "Tokyo Art Meeting" explores new possibilities by connecting contemporary art with expressions from various fields. The fourth installment of this series is currently underway at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. The exhibition features 21 participating artists and architects from Japan and abroad who design and present various events and topics facing contemporary society, from the global economy to genetics, in tangible forms. It is an exhibition designed to challenge viewers' conventional perspectives and preconceptions.


Until Sunday, January 19. Closed Mondays, December 28 - January 1. If Monday is a public holiday, the museum will be closed the following Tuesday.

The "street" has produced a wealth of outstanding photographs. The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum is currently holding an exhibition themed "Changing the World from the Streets," which explores the zeitgeist and consciousness of the generation born between the 1960s and 1980s through the works of five artists. The exhibition features a diverse lineup including Katsumi Omori, one of Japan's leading contemporary artists; Naoki Kajitani, winner of the New Cosmos of Photography Award; Natsumi Hayashi, known for her floating self-portraits; Kimiro Itozaki, who has consistently focused on the street as his field; and Takashi Tsuda.
Until Sunday, January 26. Closed Mondays, December 29 - January 1.

A solo exhibition showcasing the work of Shiro Takatani is currently being held at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. After graduating from the Department of Environmental Design at Kyoto City University of Arts in 1984, he founded Dumb Type, a collective of artists from diverse fields including architecture, design, music, and dance. While serving as artistic director for visual works, he has also presented works under his own name as a video artist, based on his insights into natural environments and physical phenomena. This exhibition examines the act of "seeing," the origin of Takatani's work, and the history of photographic imagery.
Until Sunday, January 26. Closed Mondays, December 29 - January 1. If Monday is a public holiday, the museum will be closed the following Tuesday.

The works of Masa Harada and Jacques Henri Lartigue possess a mysterious charm that captivates viewers. An exhibition at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum questions "What is photography to humans?" through the works of these two artists who maintained a lifelong amateur spirit and pure enjoyment of photography. The exhibition features representative works by Harada from the 1930s to 1950s, as well as pieces set against the Tottori Sand Dunes. The Jacques Henri Lartigue Foundation is lending carefully selected works from its extensive collection.
Until Sunday, January 26. Closed Mondays, December 29 - January 1. If Monday is a public holiday, the museum will be closed the following Tuesday.

The first retrospective of British contemporary artist Damien Hirst in the Middle East is being held in Qatar. During his time at Goldsmiths College, an exhibition he co-organized with classmates sparked a new movement in the British art scene, attracting considerable attention. His unconventional works, themed around "life and death," have been highly acclaimed worldwide, with his total auction sales even surpassing those of Pablo Picasso. This retrospective, said to be his largest to date, features a comprehensive display of Hirst's signature works, including his skull and dot series.
Until Sunday, January 26. Closed Tuesdays.

VICE magazine, distributed in 25 cities worldwide, is renowned for its popular "Photo Issue." This special issue has now arrived in Japan. Since its launch in 1994, VICE magazine has captured the attention of trendsetters with its unsparingly sharp commentary and unique perspective. To commemorate the launch of its Japanese edition, an exhibition is currently being held at the Diesel Art Gallery. It showcases original collaborative works contributed to the "Photo Issue" by a total of 28 artists, including Kim Gordon and Keiichi Nitta.
Until Friday, February 14.

The first solo exhibition in Japan by Christian Bonnefoi, a leading French painter, is currently being held at the Ginza Maison Hermès Forum. Bonnefoi began his career as an art historian but was inspired to become a painter after encountering the relief sculpture "Dos (The Back)" at an Henri Matisse exhibition. Since then, he has focused on the material aspects of painting, striving to create self-standing objects using translucent materials through his layered creative process. This exhibition, his first in Japan, introduces his representative works by series.
Until Friday, February 28. Closed December 31 - January 2.

Calligrapher Koji Kakinuma is known as an artist who elevates calligraphy to contemporary art. Posing the question, "Is calligraphy art? Am I an artist?", he continuously challenges new frontiers of calligraphy that transcend traditional forms. An exhibition featuring approximately 700 works, from his late 1990s pieces to his latest masterpieces, is currently being held at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. This exhibition invites us to explore the "charm of calligraphy in the modern era" through Kakinuma's "Way of Calligraphy," which bridges calligraphy, contemporary art, and subculture.
Until Sunday, March 2. Closed Mondays, December 29 - January 1. If Monday is a public holiday, the museum will be closed the following Tuesday.