We are pleased to announce “FUTURE ZEN,” a solo exhibition by Akemi Fukuoji at Akio Nagasawa Gallery Ginza.

Born in Tokyo in 1955, Akemi Fukuoji is an artist whose practice centers around gemstones, crystals, and minerals. This exhibition features both paintings and sculptural works from her 2021 series FUTURE ZEN.

In a world increasingly overwhelmed by complexity and the rapid expansion of information, FUTURE ZEN invites viewers to reconnect with the quietude that lies deep within the self—something often forgotten in the noise of modern life. Fukuoji explains that she hopes the series will “awaken viewers to their own inner peace, allowing them to return to the root of their being and, from there, illuminate their own unique futures.”

We invite you to experience Fukuoji’s distinctive vision of “Zen,” expressed through both two- and three-dimensional works.

Artist Statement

The world today is dominated by continuing wars and conflicts, and increasingly tense international relations. In addition to that, the constant flood of instant information has created an environment that demands rapid change, and that often disturbs our mental balance by causing excessive stress or insecure. With the global issues that we face, and on the downside of the general convenience brought along by technological innovation, many people have been deprived of opportunities for facing themselves, and as a result, are seeking inner tranquility now more than ever.

Against this backdrop, and in response to the currents of the times, I propose “FUTURE ZEN” as a means of giving people peace of mind and relaxation. Pursuing a worldview that is informed by freedom and benevolence beyond religious and cultural boundaries, I use elements of light and color to express the spiritual coalescence that is accomplished in moments of meditation.

I consider it as my life work to pursue the very essence and the infinitely pure beauty of the cosmos that I revere, and I sincerely hope that this pursuit will make my own discoveries reverberate with the discoveries of others, and generate a new inner dialogue.

– Akemi Fukuoji