Okataoka Solo Exhibition "TOBAN TOBAN" to be Held at STUDIO 894 Gallery from Friday, May 15 to Sunday, June 28, 2026

STUDIO 894, a pottery experience-based complex in Seto, will hold an Okataoka solo exhibition "TOBAN TOBAN" at the STUDIO 894 Gallery from Friday, May 15 to Monday, June 28, 2026. Okataoka, an illustrator widely active in magazine covers, book bindings, and logo design, has expanded his drawings beyond paper to various materials such as wood and stone. In this exhibition, in collaboration with Chugaitoen, he will present his animal and nature-motif drawings as his first-ever ceramic panel works. The production experience at the Chugaitoen studio during the severe cold of January brought a unique "temperature" to his works. An unconscious desire for "warmth" emerged as motifs reminiscent of spring and summer, capturing the ambiguous time just before the changing of seasons within the medium of ceramic panels. During production, facing the inherent uncertainty of pottery where "you don't know until you bake it," he limited the number of colors and repeatedly selected his brushstrokes and glazes. The subtle unevenness and bleeding caused by iron-containing paints and matte glazes create a depth not found in flat, two-dimensional illustrations. This exhibition features thirty-one 15cm square ceramic panel works. Through the repetition and arrangement of the panels, individual images expand into the space. In addition, a variety of his recent works will be exhibited, including original drawings and woodcuts from his music-themed "WALL OF SOUND" series, ceramic objects, and mugs. Through his practice across multiple materials and techniques, you can experience the inherent richness of Okataoka's expression. On Saturday, May 16, during the exhibition period, we will welcome Okataoka for a talk event and gallery tour. Please come to the venue and witness Okataoka's new expression born from the unique textures and fluctuations of pottery. Exhibition Overview Name: Okataoka Solo Exhibition "TOBAN TOBAN" Dates: Friday, May 15, 2026 - Sunday, June 28, 2026 Venue: STUDIO 894 Gallery (Address: Inside STUDIO 894, 1 Yakushicho, Seto City, Aichi Prefecture MAP) Opening Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Tuesdays) Access: 8 minutes walk from Owari Seto Station on the Meitetsu Seto Line Exhibited Works (Partial excerpt) Artist Message At the end of January, I had the opportunity to paint ceramic panels at the Chugaitoen studio. It was apparently quite cold in Seto that day, and living in warm Kagoshima, I found myself shivering while working. To say that the shivering had a good effect on my lines... is a joke, but perhaps because I unconsciously sought "warmth," many of the finished works depicted warm spring or summer scenes for some reason. The title "TOBAN TOBAN" is taken from ceramic panel (toban), but it also lightly overlaps with the nuance of "winter's watch" (fuyu no ban), representing the time right before welcoming spring. By the time the exhibition starts, I think it will be the perfect season to view these works, so I would be very happy if you could casually drop by. Okataoka Profile Okataoka Illustrator Graduated from Kuwasawa Design School. Based in Kagoshima, he provides illustrations for a wide range of media including books, apparel, and advertising. In addition to painting, he creates works using various techniques such as ceramics and woodcuts. In recent years, his activities have been diverse, such as launching the Kagoshima-based car life brand . In 2024, he published the music-themed art book "WALL OF SOUND" (published by ELVIS PRESS). Loves cars and dogs. WEB: https://high-way.jp Instagram: @okataoka Related Events A talk event and gallery tour where Okataoka will talk about the background of the works' creation and his thoughts on this exhibition will be held on Saturday, May 16. Date and Time: Saturday, May 16, 2026 14:00 - 15:00 Talk Event 15:00 - 15:30 Gallery Tour Venue: STUDIO 894 Gallery (Address: Inside STUDIO 894, 1 Yakushicho, Seto City, Aichi Prefecture MAP) Speaker