WHAT MUSEUM to Host Atsushi Suwa Solo Exhibition “You Are Beautiful” Opening September 11th (Thu), 2025

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.

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

– First large-scale solo exhibition in three years
Approximately 80 pieces will be on display, 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. About 30 of the pieces are on view for the first time, 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 will also be on display.

– Documentary film of Suwa at work in his studio
A documentary film closely following the production process of At the Shore will be 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 visits Suwa at work in his studio, and writes a short story inspired by his still-life paintings. The story will be 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.

Coinciding with the exhibition, a booklet of a short story, Sayonara, by fiction writer Kaori Fujino, will be 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.”

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.

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

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