KINUTANI Art Place Hiroo 2nd Exhibition: Painting on Walls ──Koji Kinutani’s Murals

KINUTANI Art Place Hiroo 2nd Exhibition
Painting on Walls ──Koji Kinutani’s Murals

“I believe the act of painting was a endeavor to remove every spiritual and physical barrier surrounding us.“
──Koji Kinutani*

In 1971, painter Koji Kinutani (1943–2025) traveled to Italy to study fresco, a classical Western mural technique. Before long, Kinutani began applying fresco-technique undercoatings to canvas, creating works that can truly be described as “murals painted on canvas.”

Throughout his career, Kinutani explored his artistic practice through a fascination with all manner of walls—from ancient murals like those in the Altamira Caves and the Takamatsuzuka Mounded Tomb to damaged heritage such as the burned murals of Horyu-ji Temple’s Main Hall and the Berlin Wall.

While a wall serves to protect against wind and external threats, it simultaneously represents a “spiritual and physical barrier.” For Kinutani, painting murals was an act of liberating people from the “sufferings and misfortunes that weigh heavily upon humanity,” which walls embody.

This exhibition re-examines the meaning of painting on walls through fresco works, canvas paintings employing adapted fresco techniques, and three-dimensional sculptures that evolved from them.

*Koji Kinutani, “The Day the Wall Collapsed,” in The Wall Dreams of Twenty Billion Light Years, Bijutsu Nenkan-sha, 1992, p. 33.

■Flyer

Overview

Exhibition Title

KINUTANI Art Place Hiroo 2nd Exhibition
Painting on Walls ──Koji Kinutani’s Murals

Dates

October 8, 2026 – March 28, 2027

Hours

Thu & Fri: 1:00 PM–5:00 PM
Sat: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Special Opening Days: Oct 12 (Mon), Nov 22 (Sun), Nov 23 (Mon), 2026,
Jan 24 (Sun), Mar 28 (Sun), 2027: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Extended Evening Hours: Oct 30 (Fri), Nov 27 (Fri), Dec 18 (Fri), 2026,
Jan 29 (Fri), Feb 26 (Fri), Mar 26 (Fri), 2027: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Gallery Talk: 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
*Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
**Closed from December 31, 2026 through January 2, 2027.
***The museum may close temporarily in the event of disasters or expected transit disruptions.

Admission

Adults ¥900
University & High School Students ¥700
Junior High School Students and Younger: Free
*Please present a valid student ID.
**Free admission for visitors presenting proof of disability and one accompanying caregiver.

Events During the Exhibition

Venue

KINUTANI Art Place Hiroo（Takara Building 5F, 5-25-4 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku Tokyo, Japan）

Access

• 7 minutes on foot from Exit 1 or 2 of Hiroo Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)
• About 13 minutes by Toei Bus from Bus Stop No. 58 at the East Exit of Shibuya Station (JR), bound for Shimbashi-ekimae or Akabanebashi-ekimae; get off at Hiroo-Gochōme (Hiroo 5), then a 1-minute walk

Map

Opening Calendar

The opening schedule from March 2027 onwards will be posted as soon as it is confirmed.

Visitor Guidelines

Please review the following information before your visit:

• Accessibility: Please note that our museum is not fully barrier-free. While an elevator is available inside the building, there are stairs leading to it that are not wheelchair-accessible. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
• Parking: We do not have parking spaces for cars or bicycles. Please use public transportation or nearby public parking lots.
• Lockers & Cloakroom: There are no coin lockers or cloakroom facilities available on-site.
• Food & Drinks: Food and beverages are not permitted inside the museum.
• Children: Children of elementary school age and younger must be accompanied by a guardian to enter.
• Strollers: To ensure the safety of the artwork, strollers are not allowed inside the galleries. We appreciate your understanding.

Contact

office[at]kinutani-art.or.jp
*Please replace “[at]” with “@” to send an email.

Organized by

Koji Kinutani Art Foundation