Art Incubation Series 25 | Juried Open Call

THE ART OF SHO IV

Curated by Motoichi Adachi and Kyoko Sato
Organized by Art Incubation Association of Japan


Tenri Cultural Institute
43A West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA | (212) 645-2800  
July 21-27, 2026, 12-6pm  (July 27, 12-3pm, Closed on July 24, 26)
Reception and Performance : Saturday, July 25, 3-5 pm

The series exhibition “Art of Sho IV” is the 25th installment of a series of exhibitions (formerly known as Japan Contemporaries Series)  that began in 2023, organized by Emmy Award-winning TV writer Motoichi Adachi and New York-based curator Kyoko Sato, known for introducing Japanese culture. The exhibition focuses on the theme of “Sho” (Japanese calligraphy) and features works by 20 artists selected through an open call and juried process. This series highlights interesting works by artists mainly active in Japan, regardless of genre or background, introducing them to the cutting-edge global art scene. It also includes leading figures based in New York who are active worldwide, facilitating effective exchanges and mutual inspiration.

The exhibition series has continued along with “Stepping Into A World VII” (Series 24, featuring 19 artists, Gallery Max New York), as well as the more casual “Art Incubation Series 26” (featuring 5 Japanese artists, Gallery 60 NYC) and “100 Artists of the World VI” (Series 27, showcasing 7 groups of artists on the screen in Times Square, 2 Times Square). Together, these 4 projects will create a wave of Japanese art in New York this summer again. 

The judges for the open call are Dr. Les Joynes (Columbia University Research Scholar, Curator), Jason Patrick Voegele (Curator, writer, art consultant), Motoichi Adachi (Emmy Award-winning TV writer), and Kyoko Sato (Curator).

In this series, up until the 23th installment in January 2026, we have already introduced about 320 Japanese artists. Furthermore, 32 of these artists have since been exhibited in other commercial galleries in New York. This summer, we plan to introduce an additional 47 artists, bringing many more outstanding Japanese artists into the New York art scene.

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“I approach the art world with the same mindset that I’ve used for many years in the Japanese TV industry. I want to bring a fresh breeze of free-spirited ideas into a world that values long-standing traditions. Even if someone didn’t graduate from a famous art school or isn’t backed by a powerful gallery, a beautiful work is beautiful, and an interesting piece is interesting. I want to see captivating artists make a bold impact on the world stage. This time, I’m taking on that unconventional challenge.” — Motoichi Adachi

n 2021, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan, registered “Shodo” (Japanese calligraphy) as an Intangible Cultural Property. However, a survey conducted by the Agency in 2020 revealed that, due to changes in lifestyle, opportunities for Japanese people to write characters with a brush have become extremely rare, as have opportunities to appreciate calligraphy.

Shodo is the art of writing characters, primarily using a brush and ink, usually on paper. It is said that kanji characters were introduced to Japan from China in the 5th century, along with the study of calligraphy techniques. While it is necessary to preserve and pass down this art and skill steeped in history, it is interesting to note that new styles have been developed to suit the times.

From the Muromachi period onward, the tea ceremony gained prominence, and calligraphy scrolls, known as “bokuseki” (ink traces) written by Zen monks, began to be used at tea gatherings. Additionally, in the Heian period around 900 AD, hiragana was created, and by the mid-Heian period, a uniquely Japanese calligraphy style known as “wayō” emerged. During this period, waka poetry flourished, and kana calligraphy techniques such as “chirashi-gaki” (scattered writing) and “renmen” (continuous writing) were developed.

During the Edo period, when Japan was largely isolated from the world, the country’s unique culture flourished, and new forms of calligraphy emerged. In the early Edo period, the “Three Calligraphy Masters of the Kan’ei Era” – Konoe Nobutada, Hon’ami Kōetsu, and Shōkadō Shōjō – made significant contributions. In the mid-Edo period, well-known figures like Mori Yūzan, Konoe Iehiro, Katō Chikage, and Ike no Taiga appeared. In the modern era, influenced by Western ideas, museums and galleries were established, and calligraphy began to be exhibited in such venues. Calligraphy associations formed by calligraphers became central to preserving traditional Shodo today.

Because Shodo is a cultural form with a rich tradition that has been accumulated and passed down, the government recognized its value by registering it as an Intangible Cultural Property. Looking back at history, we see that innovative expressions have emerged over time, so I’d like to reflect on what “Sho” might look like in our current era. At the New York “The Art of Sho” exhibition, we will showcase works that freely express calligraphy as a culture that resonates with our modern society, which is shaped by cutting-edge technologies like AI and the global context, while honoring the traditional “wayō” style unique to Japan.

Moreover, when “calligraphy” is interpreted in a broader sense, it can refer to artistic expressions that use words or characters as visual art. In some cases, an abstract painting may evoke the qualities of calligraphy without using written characters at all. From this perspective, New York–based artists Chunbum Park (Korea), Mensur Bojda (Republic of Macedonia), TLaloC (AKA Eduardo Corral, Mexico) will take part in this exhibition with their innovative works that embody this expanded notion of “calligraphy.”       —Kyoko Sato

Agency for Cultural Affairs. (2021). Registration of Shodo as an Intangible Cultural Property. Agency for Cultural Affairs.

[Grand Prize] Sankō Daijō
Sankō Daijō is a calligrapher and artist whose practice fuses traditional Eastern philosophy with contemporary social critique. After graduating from the Department of Chinese Literature and specializing in Chinese philosophy, he expanded his intellectual pursuits across a wide range of disciplines, including Western philosophy, religious studies, sociology, political thought, and anthropology.

In calligraphy, his practice is grounded primarily in Kaisho (standard script), Gyosho (semi-cursive script), and Reisho (clerical script). Through meticulous control of line qualities—balancing dryness and moisture, softness and hardness, density and lightness, as well as straight and curved forms—he has established a distinctive visual language. His work skillfully integrates these expressive lines with the spatial power of negative space.

Centering his work on themes of life philosophy and contemporary social issues, Sankō Daijō redefines calligraphy as a form of contemporary art that evokes boundless imagination and deep empathy in the viewer.

Art Incubation Series 27 | Open Call

100 ARTISTS OF THE WORLD VI

Times Square Tower Screen, The Wedge at 2 Times Square
2 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 8:30-9:00 pm (to be confirmed)

Artists:
Goto Seiun & Hashimoto Yoshimi | Hirotaka | Umeoka Koujun | Shinichiro Toyama | Takako Mine | Tetsuyo Nishida

On the screen at the center of Times Square, 7 groups of artists will appear, exciting visitors from around the world.