[Kyoto Tsutaya Books] Solo Exhibition by Okinawan Contemporary Artist Yuken Teruya: "Yuken Teruya: Your Journey" Opens June 13. Illuminating Society's Path Through Familiar Materials.

"Break the Curse" (detail) / 2025 / Paper, acrylic sheet / 42×29.7×3.5 cm

Kyoto Tsutaya Books (Kyoto Takashimaya S.C. [T8] 5F & 6F, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto) will hold a solo exhibition by Okinawan contemporary artist Yuken Teruya, "Yuken Teruya: Your Journey," from Saturday, June 13, 2026 to Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in the 5F Exhibition Space.

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Overview

After graduating from Tama Art University with a degree in Oil Painting, Yuken Teruya completed the MFA program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. He is currently based primarily in New York, while also working in Berlin and Okinawa.

Teruya creates works using a wide range of materials, including everyday consumer items such as paper bags from fast-food restaurants and luxury brands, and toilet paper rolls, as well as traditional techniques like Bingata dyeing. His practice, which addresses and visualizes multilayered themes such as mass consumer society, geopolitics, social power structures, and the history of Okinawa, has received high international acclaim. His works are held in museums worldwide, including the British Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Smithsonian Institution, and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

This exhibition will center on the "Break the Curse" series, inspired by the survival story of Teruya's grandfather, which depicts the memory of the Battle of Okinawa and connects it to hope for the future, and the "Monopoly" series, which deconstructs and reconstructs banknotes from the board game Monopoly to transform concepts such as capital, religion, and historical value into different forms.

These works strongly reflect the experience and perspective gained from Teruya's stage production "Yuken Teruya's 'The Magic Flute'" (an adaptation and overall direction of Mozart's "The Magic Flute") performed last year in his hometown of Okinawa. Resonating with this work, which overlays Okinawa's history of hardship with its rich culture, re-examines memories, and depicts hope for the future, this exhibition "Your Journey" offers an opportunity to reconsider the paths traveled by society, the era, and ourselves.

Artist Statement

In "Yuken Teruya's 'The Magic Flute'" (2025), for which I served as general planner and supervisor, I introduced a new character, the boy "Seiken," to add a fresh perspective to the original. In the same stage production, I also directed the work "Powerful Spells" as a symbol of light. This exhibition is an attempt to transform the power, emotions, and conflicts expressed in "Yuken Teruya's 'The Magic Flute'" into the inspiration of "magic" and develop them into works for a different project. In a sense, this exhibition can be seen as a re-staging of the direction of "Yuken Teruya's 'The Magic Flute'." I hope that the inspiration from each work will stimulate the magical power within you.

Works Introduction

"Break the Curse" (detail) Paper, acrylic sheet

"Break the Curse"

Seiken, who grew up in Tamagusuku Village in southern Okinawa Island, was a gentle and imaginative boy. Bitten by a habu snake in his childhood, losing one leg, Seiken survived the war by being carried on the back of his young wife, Fumiko, fleeing the flames of battle. In my reconstructed "The Magic Flute," Seiken's life becomes a parallel world to that of the protagonist, Tamino. The boy's magic overcomes the heavy trials and conflicts of adversity, leading to miracles. We live in the future of those boys' and girls' stories.

"Powerful Spells" Silk screen, T-shirts

"Powerful Spells"

In 1947, Emperor Showa sent a message to GHQ stating his hope that Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands would continue to be militarily occupied in the medium to long term. The spell cast in 1947 still dominates not only the seas of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands but all of Japan. On stage, illuminated official documents appear as symbols of intellect and privilege.

"Heavy Pop" Watercolor on paper

"Heavy Pop"

When a balloon takes off into the sky, anxiety and excitement from leaving the ground occur simultaneously, creating a feeling of exhilaration. The upward pulling force stimulates the hands holding it. The sky, colorful with released balloons, is a symbol of freedom and independence. There are no constraints on that power. Magic is the work of freedom.

"Monopoly (jewelry)" Monopoly money, Torken, pin, foam

"Monopoly Royal Jewelry" / "Monopoly Monogram"

The Monopoly series is an attempt to visualize the power and influence of symbols that are difficult to replace with cash or grasp. The deconstructed and reconstructed Monopoly banknotes emerge as symbols of Wall Street, museums, faith, and hereditary power. Each point of the monogram represents deconstructed privilege and swollen financial structures, but I found structures resembling playground equipment or roller coasters. Curiosity and interest are imbued with innocence.

Sales Information

Works will be available for purchase at the store starting Saturday, June 13, at 11:00 AM.

Sales may end before the exhibition period begins depending on pre-sale status.

Some works will be sold on the art EC platform "OIL" from Monday, June 15, 12:00 PM to Wednesday, July 1, 8:00 PM.

Artist Profile

Yuken Teruya

Born in Okinawa in 1973. Lives in Berlin. Completed the MFA program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York in 2001. Currently based primarily in New York, he also works in Berlin and Okinawa. Using everyday materials and meticulous, delicate techniques, he creates works that address issues such as mass consumer society, globalism, environmental problems, and unnoticed values and frameworks. In 2025, he served as the general director for the "Okinawan version of The Magic Flute," an opera by Mozart produced by the Naha Cultural Arts Theater Nahart.

Since 2024, "Yui, You-I" has been on permanent display at the British Museum in the UK. 2023: "Yuken Teruya: Okinawa Heavy Pop" at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum. 2014-15: "Yuken Teruya: On Okinawa / Humboldt Lab" at the Museum of Asian Art, National Museums in Berlin. Other exhibitions include the Guangzhou Triennial (2022), Bangkok Biennale (2020), Shanghai Biennale (2018), "Japanorama" at Centre Pompidou-Metz (2017), and "Who Translates the World?" at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.