Contemporary artist Tetsutaro Kamatani presents a solo exhibition at Ryosokuin Temple in Kyoto, unveiling large-scale folding screens that resonate with the temple's garden.
Contemporary artist Tetsutaro Kamatani will hold a solo exhibition titled "Threshold of Reality and Illusion" (Kyojitsu no Shikii) at Ryosokuin Temple in Kyoto from Sunday, December 6, to Wednesday, December 23, 2026.
For over two decades, Kamatani has explored the possibilities of collage, expanding his practice from painting into three-dimensional and spatial works. Now, the Tokyo- and New York-based artist turns his focus to Ryosokuin, a site with over 600 years of history.
The exhibition features a large-scale folding screen installation in the Great Shoin, inspired by the temple's garden. Additionally, a special performance will be held on Saturday, December 19, featuring a brand-new, exclusive composition by musician Meitei.
Where Art, Garden, and Sound Resonate
Organic forms evoking nature and life, vibrant colors, intricate details imbued with decorative flair—Kamatani’s work is a dense layering of diverse imagery, enough to cloak the support itself. Yet, the closer one gets, the more the gaze shifts to the details, and the consciousness begins to open outward, beyond the frame of the work.
Alongside "collage," a concept Kamatani has long explored, another key to interpreting this exhibition lies in the "negative space" created around the works. This time, however, that expression extends beyond the internal boundaries of a single piece.
The exhibition is curated to resonate with the entire Ryosokuin site, centering on the normally private Hojo (main hall) and Great Shoin. The Great Shoin will debut a large-scale folding screen, roughly 2.1 meters high and 8.3 meters wide, inspired by the garden view, alongside a variety of paintings and sculptural works. It is a unique exhibition experience where the reality of the garden and the painted world overlap.
Furthermore, on Saturday, December 19, the temple will host a one-day-only special performance by Meitei—who creates music exploring what he calls "Lost Japanese" scenes, delicate ghosts of a landscape that persists despite having faded away—in collaboration with Tetsutaro Kamatani.
The actual scene and the painted one. The work and its periphery. As the title "Threshold of Reality and Illusion" suggests, this exhibition invites viewers to move fluidly between these two realms.
Tetsutaro Kamatani: "Threshold of Reality and Illusion"
Dates: Sunday, December 6 – Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Hours: 13:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
Venue: Ryosokuin Temple
Address: 591 Komatsucho, Yamato-oji-dori Shijo-sagaru 4-chome, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Admission: General 1,000 JPY / Junior High & High School Students 500 JPY / Elementary School Students and under free
*Closed for general public viewing on Saturday, December 19, for the "Tetsutaro Kamatani × Meitei × Ryosokuin Special Performance."
Official Website:https://tetsutarokamatani-exhibition.com
Top Image: 《Garden — Ryosokuin》Garden — Ryosokuin, 2026 © Tetsutaro Kamatani
The actual scene and the painted one. The work and its periphery. As the title "Threshold of Reality and Illusion" suggests, this exhibition invites viewers to move fluidly between these two realms.
Tetsutaro Kamatani: "Threshold of Reality and Illusion"
Dates: Sunday, December 6 – Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Hours: 13:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
Venue: Ryosokuin Temple
Address: 591 Komatsucho, Yamato-oji-dori Shijo-sagaru 4-chome, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Admission: General 1,000 JPY / Junior High & High School Students 500 JPY / Elementary School Students and under free
*Closed for general public viewing on Saturday, December 19, for the "Tetsutaro Kamatani × Meitei × Ryosokuin Special Performance."
Official Website:https://tetsutarokamatani-exhibition.com
Top Image: 《Garden — Ryosokuin》Garden — Ryosokuin, 2026 © Tetsutaro Kamatani
Contact
Tetsutaro Kamatani Exhibition Secretariat
kamatani.projects@imi.studio