Born in Obihiro, Hokkaido, in 1933, Go Yayanagi pursued an independent path as an artist, traveling to Brazil and other parts of the world before studying copperplate printing under S. W. Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris. Moving freely between painting, printmaking, sculpture, and installation, Yayanagi developed an approach that brought together Japanese visual traditions and contemporary popular culture.

Yayanagi passed away on November 6, 2025. Opening around the first anniversary of his death, this exhibition celebrates his life and artistic legacy through works from different stages of his career.

The exhibition is presented in three sections. The first focuses on Yayanagi’s early work, offering a glimpse of his formative years as a largely self-taught artist, when he began exploring painting on his own terms. It includes paintings inspired by Brazil and works reflecting his technical interest in living organisms and biological processes, which he transformed into expressive forms on the canvas.

The second brings together paintings and a print from his Paris period. His studies at Atelier 17 deepened his understanding of black and white, line, and composition, and these explorations extended beyond printmaking to influence his paintings.

The final section spans several decades, presenting works from the 1970s, 2010s, and 2020s. Seen together, they reveal the continued vitality of Yayanagi’s distinctive visual language of vivid colors, bold outlines, rhythmic patterns, and playful forms.

The title Viva! is an affirmation of life. It reflects the vitality, humor, and sense of wonder that run through Yayanagi’s work, celebrating an artistic spirit that remained open to experimentation and discovery throughout his life. We hope this exhibition offers an opportunity to encounter his work anew and explore the many facets of his artistic practice.

Exhibition Schedule:

Part I: Early Works November 3 – November 20, 2026
Part II: Paris Period November 21 – December 8, 2026
Part III: Later Works December 9 – December 25, 2026