#Japan #Tokyo #Gallery Butaiura #The Chain Museum #Yuka Mori

Yuka Mori's New Solo Exhibition 'Undone Gift'

Beginning on June 5, 2026, renowned artist Yuka Mori will unveil her latest solo exhibition, titled 'Undone Gift', at Gallery Butaiura, located within Azabudai Hills. The exhibition will run until July 5, 2026. Utilizing traditional Japanese painting techniques, Mori explores the blurred lines between the human body and the environment, creating a mesmerizing visual experience.



This exhibition is notable, not only for its artistic value but also for the unique opportunity to purchase works exclusively through ArtSticker. Collectors and enthusiasts are encouraged to contact the gallery for a price list ahead of the opening. Additionally, a reception event will be held on June 5 at 6:00 PM, providing a perfect opportunity to engage with the artist and fellow art lovers. Reservations are required for this complimentary event.

Themes and Artistic Vision

Mori's works in this exhibition showcase figures and plants intertwined with fluid contours and melting colors. Growing up surrounded by nature, Mori has always been influenced by her environment. Her academic background in Japanese painting has led her to depict the flora and the people around her, capturing the essence of connection.

Through her experience, Mori shares how she found comfort in the idea of dissolving boundaries — those that normally separate self from others and human from nature. Instead of viewing these elements as dichotomies, she perceives them as a fluid entity that encourages unity. This concept aligns closely with her earlier experiences in dance, which further heightens her intrigue around the human body, organisms, and spatial dynamics.

In this exhibition, the gallery's kitchen space plays a pivotal role, allowing Mori to weave in reflections on the act of eating. She contemplates how consuming external entities transforms them into part of the body, thus blurring the lines between inside and outside and revealing a continuous cycle of life.

The title 'Undone' conveys the idea of something breaking apart to form something new, emphasizing the interconnectedness of existence where the presence of others is essential in creating meaning. Through her work, Mori invites viewers to think about how we assimilate and share experiences and elements in a cycle of life that is ever-evolving.

With the organic lines and soft tones that characterize her work, the energy of life quietly resonates, inviting viewers to feel the warmth embedded in Mori’s canvases.

Artist's Statement

For this exhibition at Gallery Butaiura, Mori shares her musings about the act of eating within a space that encourages communal reflection. She recalls childhood memories of characters like Anpanman and the delights of sweets, contrasting them with her past aversion to eating. This exhibition forms part of Mori's broader quest to explore the boundaries between body and environment, manifesting as forms that emerge between humans and plants.

She invites us to contemplate how consumption represents a fusion of inside and outside, insisting that even as we digest, we exchange parts of ourselves with the external world. The question of where 'inside' ends and 'outside' begins remains nuanced and ambiguous, echoing the complexity of our relationship with food and nature.

Mori draws our attention to the lengthy process that food undergoes before reaching our plates. The creation of an apple, from seed to fruit, takes years, emphasizing all the elements involved – water, earth, microbes, plants, light – all converging in an endless narrative. This highlights the depth of what occurs when we consume, sharing these experiences intimately with others.

As Mori creates, she is also inspired by the poetry of Shuntaro Tanikawa, which acts as both a muse and a reminder of the profound cycles of existence she seeks to capture in her work.

Artist Biography

Yuka Mori was born in 1991 in Shiga Prefecture and is currently based in Kyoto. She specializes in Japanese pigment and support materials, focusing on the relationship between humans and plants. Her acute interest in bodies and the boundaries separating individuals from nature manifests in visual forms that embody an organic continuum. Recent notable exhibitions include 'Mists' (Yutaka Kikutake Gallery, 2026), and 'Intertwined: Playing Mesh' (Gallery Crossing, 2025).

Mori's artistic journey has also led her to participate in artist residency programs, including a notable exchange program in Paris in 2015. She was awarded the 'Pommery Prize Kyoto 2024' for exceptional artistic achievement.

Exhibition Details

• - Exhibition Title: 'Undone Gift'
• - Dates: June 5 – July 5, 2026
• - Reception: June 5, from 6 PM to 8 PM (free, reservation required)
• - Location: Gallery Butaiura, 5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
• - Hours: Daily, 11 AM to 6 PM (Closed Mondays)

Experience 'Undone Gift' and engage with the profound messages embodied in Yuka Mori's artwork. Through this exhibition, immerse yourself in the cyclical nature of existence and celebrate the connective tissues that bind us all together.