Based in Tokyo and active internationally, Sunao Maruyama is known for her multidisciplinary practice that spans painting, illustration, workshop design, textile design, music, and education.

This exhibition features works from her new series Green House, created especially for the exhibition, alongside selections from Hanabana, an ongoing body of work in which she has been painting flowers and plants as a lifelong project since 2013.

A defining characteristic of Maruyama’s work is the unique fusion of careful observation of the world around her and the imaginative landscapes of her own inner universe.

In the Green House series, large architectural forms reminiscent of windows, doors, or gateways invite viewers into another realm. Within these compositions, familiar scenes from everyday life merge seamlessly with imagined landscapes. The recognizable motifs serve as points of connection for the viewer, gently guiding them into the artist’s distinctive world of imagination.

The Hanabana series presents a single plant on each sheet of paper. Through these works, one can sense Maruyama’s warmth, attentiveness, and affection toward the natural world. Intricately rendered flower centers contrast with boldly simplified petals; rich gradations of color coexist with abbreviated forms. The plants are captured through a combination of spontaneous, expressive lines and carefully layered colors, sometimes detailed and sometimes deliberately reduced to their essence. Through Maruyama’s unique perspective, viewers are invited to appreciate not only the forms and colors of plants, but also their fragrance, presence, and quiet vitality. These works convey the artist’s genuine joy in observing and celebrating the natural world.

Although the exhibition is composed of several distinct bodies of work, they share a common thread: a heartfelt celebration of everyday life expressed through the artist’s singular powers of observation. Maruyama’s works encourage us to pay closer attention to the world around us, stimulate our imagination, and offer new ways of seeing. We invite you to experience these works and discover the richness and wonder hidden within the ordinary.

Biography

Sunao Maruyama graduated from the Department of Design at Tokyo University of the Arts and completed her graduate studies at the same institution. During her studies, she also studied graphic design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.

Her creative practice spans painting, textiles, illustration, package design, advertising, and other fields, crossing disciplinary and media boundaries both in Japan and internationally. As a workshop designer, she develops creative programs tailored to people of diverse ages and backgrounds.

Committed to sharing the joy and importance of art and design, Maruyama works under the concept of “Art in Everyday Life,” creating opportunities for connection, creativity, and collaborative learning. Her educational and community-based projects extend to schools, hospitals, and welfare facilities, where she explores the social and communicative potential of art and design.

Maruyama is also a member of the synthesizer band CRYSTAL, which debuted in 2007 through the French label Institubes. The group has performed extensively both in Japan and abroad.

She currently serves as a part-time lecturer at Tokyo University of the Arts and Ochanomizu University, and as a specially appointed lecturer at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

Artist Reception

The artist and the Director of KAIGADO Gallery will be present at the gallery and available to discuss the exhibition and the works on view.

Date: Saturday, November 25, 2023
Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM