News
Kaori Miyayama’s solo exhibition “Carpe Diem （Saize the Day） – Here and Now” will be held at the Shouonji Art Project in Kodaira City, Tokyo.
Kaori Miyayama Solo Exhibition “Carpe Diem – Here and Now”
Kaori Miyayama has spent many years working between Italy and Japan, exploring the dialogue that arises between her artwork, time, space, and the viewer. In this exhibition, she turns her attention to the space surrounding her work, making visible the ever-changing, fluid “emptiness in between.”
The venue, Shouonji Temple in Kodaira, is a unique cultural space that combines Buddhist philosophy with contemporary art. Traditional Japanese elements, such as tatami rooms, gardens, and open corridors, give new rhythm and breath to her silk and woodblock print installations.
“Carpe Diem,” the ancient Roman phrase meaning “seize the day,” resonates with the Buddhist concept of being fully present in the moment — “here and now.” This exhibition invites visitors to experience a sense of time and space shaped by that idea.
During the exhibition, there will also be a special dialogue session featuring photographer Chihiro Minato and the head priest, offering visitors the opportunity to engage in conversation with the artist and explore the themes in more depth.
Kaori Miyayama “Carpe Diem – Here and Now”
Exhibition Details
Kaori Miyayama Solo Exhibition: “Carpe Diem – Here and Now”
Dates: May 4 (Sun) – June 2 (Mon), 2025
Opening Hours: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Shouonji Temple
3-23-20 Misono-cho, Kodaira City, Tokyo
Closed: Every Tuesday and Wednesday, and Saturday, May 24
Admission: Free
Note: Limited parking available (up to 5 cars)
Supported by: The Nomura Foundation
Special Events: Artist Dialogues (Reservation required – Call 042-341-2935)
① Sunday, May 18 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Theme: Here and Now
With: Head Priest + Kaori Miyayama + Visitors
② Friday, May 23 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Theme: Time / Space / Presence
With: Chihiro Minato (Photographer/Author) + Kaori Miyayama + Visitors
How to Reserve:
Please call Shouonji Temple at 042-341-2935.
Reservations will close once capacity is reached.
More details will be updated soon.
Shouonji Website: https://www.shouonji.jp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouonji_art_project/
Artist Profile
Kaori Miyayama
Born in Tokyo in 1975, Kaori Miyayama is an artist based in both Milan and Fuchū, Japan. With a background in cultural anthropology and art, her work explores shifting perspectives and spatial awareness shaped by culture and generations. She creates spaces of “transitional in-betweenness” that challenge boundaries—not as divisions, but as points of connection—through a multifaceted and relational approach.
While studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, she researched the relationship between spatiality in historical architecture and contemporary art, supported by grants from the Pola Art Foundation and Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Miyayama combines traditional and contemporary techniques from both Europe and Japan, creating distinctive installation spaces using translucent silk, woodblock prints, and thread.
Recent Exhibitions:
– Northern Alps Art Festival (Nagano, 2024)
– Matsu o Miru, Palazzo Ghirlanda Silva (Italy, 2024)
– Solo exhibition Dwelling in the Sky, Castello di Montanaro (Italy, 2022)
– Lights/Spaces, Palazzo Ducale di Atri (Italy, 2020)
– Solo exhibition Where the Sky Begins, Carlo Mazzi Gallery (Switzerland, 2018)
– Solo exhibition How to Descend into the Sky, BASE GALLERY (Tokyo, 2013)
– SP ESTAMPA (Brazil, 2012)
– Venice Biennale, Italian Pavilion (Italy, 2011)
Artist’s Website: http://studioetcetera.com/kaori/