Japanese Artist Hisaya Taira Spotlights the Mundane in 'Shibuya'

For a city as dense as Tokyo, the most populous in the world, in fact, the Japanese capital is a model of excellence when it comes to general safety, robust transportation systems, spotless streets and parks, as well as the abundance of cultural hotspots across the metropolis. From Ginza to Shinjuku, every corner offers picturesque scenes that draw millions of visitors per year. But for Japanese artist Hisaya Taira, it’s the overlooked moments of the everyday that offer the greatest points of inspiration.

The Tokyo-based painter is showcasing his favorite encounters across Shibuya in a series of new compositions at NANZUKA 2G. Since the 1990s, Taira has created photorealist recreations of the urban landscape, placing special emphasis on elevators, subway platforms and backstreets — areas that aren’t usually associated with beauty, but serve as a vital aspect to the function of any modern metropolis.

For Taira, Shibuya’s busy streets are “akin to gazing through a forest along a valley,” wrote NANZUKA. Through a subtle interplay of light and shadow, Tairo transforms images of mundane street scenes, altering perspectives and breathing new meaning into the everyday. For those in Tokyo, exhibition will be on view until August 11, 2024.

NANZUKA 2G
Shibuya PARCO 2F
15-1 Udagawa-cho,
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo