TOKYO – Gallery Koyanagi will present “Heaven Stolen,” a solo exhibition of new works by the artist Arisa Kumagai. This will be her fourth exhibition at the gallery, featuring six new paintings and ten drawings that continue the artist’s investigation of personal history, societal dichotomies, and the nature of faith.
The exhibition’s title refers to a term used for individuals who receive baptism near the end of their lives. Kumagai connects the concept to the complex human response of resentment towards what can be perceived as an opportunistic act of faith, acknowledging this tension as an element of her own internal experience. This theme of conflicting yet inseparable emotions, such as love and hate, informs the works on display.
Kumagai’s practice is noted for its use of motifs drawn from her personal life—including family members and their effects—to explore universal subjects such as wealth, poverty, life, and death. Her recent work incorporates an interest in Catholic iconography and Japanese forms of prayer, weaving these elements with her own poetry.
Among the new works is the triptych “It’s OK. It’s OK. It’s OK.,” which depicts a pair of worn children’s shoes alongside flowers and religious symbols, including a statue of the Virgin Mary and a rosary. The work addresses the subject of child abuse and unresolved familial trauma.
Another significant piece is the diptych “Say yes to me.” This work juxtaposes the image of a hunted deer in a river with a depiction of a man in a silk shirt. The pattern on the shirt contains the image of a gun barrel aimed toward the deer in the adjacent panel. The work combines motifs of the sacred and the profane, while also referencing the artist’s ongoing “Leisure Class” series, which examines the use of luxury goods as markers of social standing. The gallery notes that the imagery can be interpreted as an allusion to persistent racial tensions.
Concurrently with the exhibition, Gallery Koyanagi will release “White Witch,” a limited-edition booklet of Kumagai’s works and poems. The publication includes a text by Tomoko Yabumae of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.
Arisa Kumagai is a graduate of Kyoto University of Art & Design. Her work is characterized by a high degree of technical precision and a dramatic use of light and shadow.
The exhibition will be on view at Gallery Koyanagi, located in the Koyanagi Building in Ginza, Tokyo, from August 23 to October 11, 2025. An opening reception with the artist in attendance is scheduled for the evening of August 23.
