The "JAPANESE ARTISTS IN NEW YORK" exhibition is currently being held at Marunouchi House, the restaurant floor on the 7th floor of the Shin-Maru Building. Since 2008, this floor has annually hosted an exhibition titled "the MOTHER of DESIGN," showcasing works by various creators. Past exhibits have included Verner Panton and Yayoi Kusama.

This sixth exhibition features works by eight young Japanese artists active in New York. Approximately 30 pieces are displayed in two main areas: the corner usually used as the library and the lobby in front of the central elevator on the restaurant floor. The library displays works by Satoru Eguchi, who adorned the facade of Maison Hermès' first floor in Ginza; Mamiko Otsubo, known for her minimalist style; and Yuken Teruya, known for his technique of carving shopping bags into single trees. In the central lobby, visitors are greeted by the colorful, kitschy work of Misaki Kawai and the dynamic work of Enrico Isamu Oyama, who used cutting sheets to create a 21-meter mural across the opening. Oyama previously painted Comme des Garçons garments in 2011. Yuko Nishiyama of M&I Art, who has been curating the exhibition since its second edition, explains, "There's concern that young people in Japan aren't going abroad, so this time we focused on Japanese artists born after the 1970s who are active overseas." The selection of works isn't limited to new works, but also includes pieces that evoke a distinctly New York feel. While the artists are from the same generation, their backgrounds vary, ranging from those who have been active in New York for many years to those who recently moved there. Oyama, now in his second year in New York, reflected on his decision to move from Japan: "If I stayed in Japan, I could predict what I'd be like in 10 years. I wanted to put myself in an uncertain place, where I didn't know what would happen." Regarding how his work was received locally, Otsubo commented, "In Japan, there wasn't much of a style that combined street art and contemporary art, but in New York, the foundation was already there and it was easily understood. That's why I wanted to go even further." Having lived in the United States since childhood, Otsubo said it took him eight to nine years to get his work established in New York. "New York's art market is the largest in the world, and that's why so many artists move there," he said, emphasizing the city's role as a viable business for art.

However, exhibiting in a commercial facility without a showcase, like this one, is unusual, even in New York, where business seems to take precedence over academics. "I was confused by the venue and exhibition method, which was neither a white cube nor a public space. I proposed framing some of the works to control their interpretation to some extent, thereby preserving their image," Otsubo said. Both Oyama and Otsubo agreed that the close relationship between the works and the audience in this exhibition was very "Japanese." The exhibition runs until November 17th. Some of the works can be purchased. On the 16th and 17th, there will be live drawing and performances by Hisham Akira Bharucha and Aozaki Nobutaka.