Naoki Prize-winning author Nishi Kanako's painting exhibitions, "Omajinai" and "“i” Beyond," will be held at the AI KOWADA GALLERY in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. This is Nishi's second exhibition to focus on painting, an area she is as passionate about as literature.


Nishi has previously created paintings based on themes from her novels. These works have served as cover art and illustrations, serving as keys to understanding the story. The cardboard tableaux, thickly layered with crayons like oil paint, exude the energy residing within Nishi's delicate body, exuding a powerful presence. Through her novels, Nishi continues to encourage those struggling with their own identity and at a loss, telling them, "You're fine just the way you are." This message is also projected in her paintings.

Nishi's art materials are crayons, a familiar sight since childhood, and cardboard boxes she receives from her favorite supermarket. Nishi's unique style, which involves using familiar materials as art supplies without any formal art education, is reminiscent of street artists who, regardless of the medium or location, paint on the streets of New York and elsewhere, raising awareness of various social issues.

This exhibition is divided into two parts: the first part, "Omajinai," and the second part, "i" beyond.

The first part, "Omajinai," beautifully expresses the emotional "fluctuations" and "instability" that are also expressed in "Omajinai" (Chikuma Shobo, 2018), Nishi's first collection of short stories in 10 years, published last month. The works include smoke-belching chimneys against a sunset-red sky, the flickering eyes of a puppy looking up as if they want to say something, and the smooth body and fascinating patterns of a crawling snail's shell. While the paintings, given concrete contours, exude a gentle impression, they also exude a sense of instability. This exhibition features eight figurative paintings, each created specifically to accompany a story from the collection.

The latter series, "Beyond i," is a reconfiguration of the "Installation i," held at the gallery in conjunction with the publication of Nishi's novel "i" (Poplar Publishing, 2017). Filling the entire gallery with powerfully rendered waves and swirls, the spatial installation, immersed in Nishi's expressive world, evoked the innermost feelings of the novel's characters and captivated many visitors. This time, the installation has been reconfigured as individual tableaux under the theme "Beyond i." Nishi's abstract paintings, freely manipulating a variety of colors to depict a vivid view of life, will be on display.

Even if you haven't read the novel, this is a rare opportunity to experience Nishi Kanako's rich and varied world of expression.