Today, Walls Tokyo is hosting Aiko Watanabes solo exhibition "A New Landscape: A Fresh Perspective."

Aiko Watanabe was born in Hiroshima Prefecture.
She studied oil painting at Tama Art University and later pursued further studies in painting at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design in Germany.
Currently, her work focuses on landscapes as a means to express her profound reverence for natures mysteries beyond human comprehension.

In 2024, Watanabe received the Florence Award at the Sekryosha Museum of Art.
From April 2025 to May 2025, she undertook a three-month residency in Florence, Italy.
This exhibition features works created during her time in Italy as well as pieces developed in Japan based on landscape sketches.

Due to limitations in transportation and studio space in Italy, Watanabe adopted a painting technique of rolling up canvas rolls while applying oil paints.
For this exhibition, she will experiment with spatial arrangements—either directly mounting canvas works on the walls or suspending multiple canvas pieces to create a collage-like effect that fully utilizes the exhibition space.

Regarding her artistic approach:
"Inspired by Sesshūs Mountains and Rivers Paintings, I strive to create works that allow viewers to virtually walk through the landscapes. While todays internet makes it easy to view global scenery instantly, I actually walk through landscapes myself, make sketches, return to my studio to create drawings, and then reconstruct the composition while viewing the work from above. This process leads me to believe Im creating works that enable viewers to experience the landscape through the painting, and I am continually exploring what constitutes landscape art."
"Im experimenting with a style that moves between abstraction and representation, quickly translating the landscapes Ive seen through lines and colors onto the canvas."
As she explains, Watanabe appears to be attempting to draw a mysterious map that not only shares her own personal experiences but also invites others to join in.

This exhibition will primarily feature and sell new works, including canvas pieces depicting landscapes from southern Italy and smaller acrylic paintings.
We invite you to experience Watanabes unique landscape paintings—works that infuse actual scenery with her own personal experiences, observations, and emotions.

January 22 (Thursday) - February 21 (Saturday), 2026
Opening hours: Wednesday - Saturday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays

Exhibition Information