Contemporary artist and initiator/planner/curator of the KIX CULTURE GATE Project. Born in 1989 in Hyogo Prefecture, and currently based in Tokyo. Motonashi explores the theme of "truth" (what is certain for the world/self, unavoidable realities, objects of belief), utilizing various mediums such as painting, sculpture, and spatial installations to transcend the notions of "self" and "present" in order to confirm fragments of truth discovered at different times. Notable exhibitions include "Eternal Finite" (MIAKI Gallery, Tokyo), art fairs such as "Art on Paper" (NYC), and "MEET YOUR ART FESTIVAL 2023" (Tokyo), as well as awards including "Contest in New York" (Ashok Jain Gallery).
Art at KIX
Did you know that Kansai International Airport (KIX) showcases artistic works with connections to the Kansai region that adorn the airport spaces and create a welcoming atmosphere?
Through art, we aim to foster harmony with the local community and create an airport that is cherished by everyone not only air travelers but also local residents who can enjoy it in their everyday lives.
We invite you to discover and appreciate the artworks throughout KIX.
The KIX CULTURE GATE Project is designed to promote the rich and diverse culture of Kansai and Japan to the world from KIX, where passengers from around the world come and go. This project aims to evolve the airport into a place where art and culture interact and to create a space where air travelers and residents of the local community can enjoy the experience daily.
We will continue to place artworks one by one throughout the terminal building and welcome as many visitors as possible from Japan and overseas to help build momentum for the success of the 2025 Osaka/Kansai Expo.
Kosuke Motohashi
The artwork "Copy without Original" is an experimental piece where a painted canvas is burned, while the digital replication of the artwork continues to exist. Selected as a piece for the KIX CULTURE GATE project, it was deemed fitting for the Osaka Expo, which centered around the theme of life, considering the many adversities overcome in the Kansai region. This artwork symbolizes a painting that rises from the ashes to colossal proportions after being burned once.
Drawing inspiration from figures like Buddha and Jesus, who are perpetually replicated even after their physical demise, the artwork pays homage to the concept of "the process by which humans attain eternity through the replication of the self even after death." The original painting, themed around "the re-experience of the oldest artist," was created manually, bare-handed, amidst the sunset, monoliths, fire, and altered states of consciousness. Following a solo exhibition (2019, elephant STUDIO), the original painting was incinerated at the production site.
Ken Hamazaki
His lifelong dedication to the themes of "flying," "sleeping," and "sitting" encompasses his current focus on "flying" for this particular project. "Flying" entails the concept of "In-Flight Painting," where he completes his artworks in what could be deemed the closest studio to space while soaring through the sky aboard an airplane—a truly "groundless artist." This concept is epitomized by his signature style known as "Maze Painting," which depicts the outlines of subjects resembling a labyrinth.
Once again, his latest works were crafted during round-trip flights departing from and returning to Kansai International Airport.
An artist known as "The Red Man" in Osaka, wearing a bright red outfit from head to toe. After moving to England at the age of 20, he commenced his artistic endeavors, and in 1992, he opened the strikingly red gallery "Red Gallery." Following its relocation to Minami Senba, Osaka, in 1994, he inaugurated the "Hamazaki Kentatsu Contemporary Art Museum" in 1997. Presently, his activities revolve around the concepts of "flying," "sleeping," and "sitting."
Mon Koutaro Ooyama
This artwork draws inspiration from one of the twelve zodiac animals, "Tiger," which is a motif from East Asian traditional culture. The artist's unique perspective is reflected in acrylic paintings that are digitally scanned and printed out. The depicted tiger emerges like a holographic image in a fantasy world, distorting space, tearing through it with immense power, and presenting a vision of future creativity.
Throughout history, creative works have always been influenced by the past and the surrounding environment. Sharing ideas and techniques, as well as differentiation, have led to diverse expressions. Handling traditional motifs from the perspective of contemporary art contributes to the ongoing narrative of creative history. In the grand flow of time, we continue to evolve and influence each other, perpetuating change.
Mon Koutaro Ooyama is a street artist living in Nara Prefecture, who formed the live painting duo "DOPPEL" in 2001 and has established his style since the beginning of the live painting scene, a street art in Japan. In 2014,he planned and supervised #BCTION, an art project using a building scheduled for demolition. He also creates murals, live paintings, and canvases, plans and supervises art projects, and works as a DJ and trackmaker under the name "Yabugarashi.
Mitsuki Naka
Naka's mission is to express the contemporary era's rehabilitation from the socially restrictive environment imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, using the motif of non-verbal communication inherent in music, which transcends language. The artwork portrays a society adapting to limitations, focusing on the dynamic movement of musical instruments and impulsively moving limbs.
Various instruments are likened to people, overlapping, resonating, and intersecting, symbolizing diverse human interactions. Inspired by the runways of Kansai International Airport, the background depicts the bustling cityscape and the communication among its inhabitants, reflecting the development of Kansai as a cultural hub. Through this artwork, one can observe the vibrancy and connections within the city's community, even in the face of challenges.
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1997, Nakahara is a recipient of the Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program Scholarship in 2018 and the Tokyo Midtown Award 2023 for Excellence in 2023.
Naka explores the relationship between physicallity in painting and contemporary visual expression, and creates works using the iPhone and applications as a native method based on her own experiences. Her work often depicts the joy of dialogue and interaction that is gradually fading away, with music serving as a motif.
For inquiries about artists and their works: hams@hongo-aerospace.com