“Yuasa Ebosi and Fables of Metamorphosis in the Postwar Avant-Garde” Opens October 31 at Nerima Art Museum; New Works Also Presented

“Yuasa Ebosi and Fables of Metamorphosis in the Postwar Avant-Garde” will be held at the Nerima Art Museum in Nerima-ku, Tokyo, from Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, December 27, 2026. The exhibition introduces works by contemporary artist Yuasa Ebosi (1983–) and by Tatsuo Ikeda, Ryosaku Takayama, Hiroshi Nakamura and others who pursued avant-garde art in postwar Japan, with “metamorphosis” as its keyword. Yuasa presents new works, and new events are added to the chronology of “Yuasa Webosi,” the fictional painter he has created.

Who is Yuasa Ebosi? Transforming into the fictional painter “Yuasa Webosi”

Yuasa Ebosi makes paintings by combining images collected from old magazines, newspapers and the internet. In parallel, he has created and presented as a story the life of “Yuasa Webosi” (1924–1987), a fictional third-rate painter born in the Taisho era. The artist’s own name and that of the fictional painter are distinguished in Japanese by the modern kana エ (e) and the archaic kana ヱ (we).

According to the museum, Yuasa says he transforms into “Webosi” by painting with inspiration from past images, and calls himself a member of the “Mimicry School.” It is an attempt to move back and forth between the postwar era, in which “Webosi” is said to have lived, and the present. In this exhibition, new events are added to Webosi’s chronology along with the presentation of new works.

Novelist Satoshi Ogawa (1986–) participates in the exhibition as a special collaborator. According to Nerima City’s exhibition guide, poems by a fictional poet relating to the paintings of “Yuasa Webosi” will be presented.

What can visitors see? “Metamorphosis” in the postwar avant-garde and eight exhibiting artists

According to the museum, postwar avant-garde artists used images such as wounded and distorted humans, chimera-like monsters and eerie masks to depict memories of the war, the contradictions of postwar society and the transformation of the image of humanity. Behind this was an interest in Surrealism and the reportage painting movement. The museum focuses on expression that transforms and deforms familiar figures to convey, allegorically, the events behind them.

The core of the exhibition is works by Tatsuo Ikeda (1928–2020), Ryosaku Takayama (1917–1982) and Hiroshi Nakamura (1932–2026), artists in the museum’s collection, together with works by Yuasa, who has paid close attention to them. Joining them are works by Saori Akutagawa (Madokoro) (1924–1966), Yuki Katsura (1913–1991), Masao Tsuruoka (1907–1979) and Iwami Furusawa (1912–2000). For Ikeda, Takayama and Nakamura, the focus is on works from the collection.

The museum hopes to trace the spread of the “metamorphosis” motif in postwar art and make the exhibition an opportunity to converse with the past through images. As of October 20, the number of works and individual exhibits are not listed on the official website. As an exhibition placing Taisho-era avant-garde works alongside those of Reiwa-era contemporary artists, “Taisho ⇆ Reiwa Avant-Garde” opens at the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art on December 4.

Related events: A dialogue between Yuasa Ebosi and Satoshi Ogawa, and a lecture

On Monday, November 23 (national holiday), 14:00–15:30, an artist talk (a dialogue with the exhibiting artist) by Yuasa Ebosi and Satoshi Ogawa will be held in the museum’s audiovisual room. On Saturday, December 12, 14:00–15:30, there will be a lecture, “‘Metamorphosis’ in Postwar Literature and Art,” by Koji Toba, professor at the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University.

Both have a capacity of 60, with advance application and a lottery. Apply via the application form or a return postcard, up to two people per postcard or form. Deadlines are Friday, November 6 for the dialogue and Friday, November 27 for the lecture (applications must arrive by these dates). Participation is free, but an exhibition ticket is required; a stub from another day is also acceptable.

Gallery talks (about 30 minutes each) by curator Sayako Kinoshita will be held in the galleries from 14:00 on Sunday, November 15 and Sunday, December 20. No application is required, but a ticket for that day is needed.

Tickets, prices and access

Admission is 1,000 yen for adults and 800 yen for high school and university students and those aged 65 to 74, and free for junior high school students and younger and those aged 75 and over. People with disabilities pay 500 yen (adults) or 400 yen (high school and university students), and up to one companion pays the same rate. Groups of 20 or more pay 800 yen for adults and 700 yen for high school and university students. Rates other than the adult rate require proof of age or other eligibility. No advance reservation is needed, and tickets are bought on the day at the museum’s ticket counter.

Opening hours are 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30). The museum is closed on Mondays; it opens on Monday, November 23 (national holiday) and closes on Tuesday, November 24. The address is 1-36-16 Nukui, Nerima-ku, Tokyo. It is a 3-minute walk from Nakamurabashi Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, six stops and about 16 minutes from Ikebukuro Station. Exit the ticket gate (a single gate on the east side), turn left and walk about 130 m along the tracks toward Shakujii-koen Station; the museum is on the right. There is no dedicated parking. Exhibitions in Tokyo are introduced in [Autumn/Winter 2026] 20 Recommended Exhibitions in Tokyo, and contemporary art exhibitions in our guide to contemporary art exhibitions.

Overview

Name: Yuasa Ebosi and Fables of Metamorphosis in the Postwar Avant-Garde
Dates: Saturday, October 31 – Sunday, December 27, 2026
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
Closed: Mondays (open on Monday, November 23 (national holiday); closed on Tuesday, November 24)
Venue: Nerima Art Museum
Address: 1-36-16 Nukui, Nerima-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Adults 1,000 yen, high school and university students and those aged 65–74 800 yen, junior high school students and younger and those aged 75 and over free (rates for people with disabilities and groups available)
Organizer: Nerima Art Museum (Nerima Culture Promotion Association)
Grants: Japan Arts Fund, Kao Foundation for Arts and Sciences
Cooperation: Gallery Koyanagi, EUKARYOTE, Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery
Special cooperation: Satoshi Ogawa (novelist)
Inquiries: 03-3577-1821
Official website: https://www.neribun.or.jp/event/detail_m.cgi?id=202608151786784919
*Information as of October 20, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: Exterior of the Nerima Art Museum (photo: jmho, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on information on the official websites of the Nerima Art Museum (Nerima Culture Promotion Association) and Nerima City (as of October 20, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team