Artist Kumi Kaguraoka Exhibits Works at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu – Publicly Displayed in the Foyer of the Art Fair Tokyo Official Talk Program Venue

Artist Kumi Kaguraoka held an exhibition in the foyer of the venue for the Art Fair Tokyo official talk program "Dialogue: ASK ART, WHY?", held at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu Innovation Field on Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Artist Kumi Kaguraoka's works were exhibited in the foyer of the talk program venue, posing questions about historical verification and new 'aesthetic values'.

Kumi Kaguraoka is an artist who creates research-based works that examine the evolution of beauty within historical and cultural contexts. This exhibition also presented works that propose new forms of 'beauty' while building upon the accumulation of past aesthetic values.

Many visitors attended the exhibition, and dialogues questioning 'beauty' from their respective viewpoints unfolded through the works. ©Kenji Agata

The exhibition was installed in the foyer space, the first area visitors passed through, designed to serve as an introduction to the venue and a starting point for contemplation. By encountering the works as they entered the venue, many visitors were prompted to reconsider 'beauty' from their own perspectives.

Furthermore, this exhibition is contextually linked to the talk session "AI's Eye and Human Aesthetic Judgment – Who Determines Aesthetic Value in the Age of AI?" in which Kaguraoka participated at the same venue. It encouraged visitors to contemplate aesthetic value from the perspectives of both AI and humans. (All venue photos are by ©Kenji Agata)

Kumi Kaguraoka

"Face Cage" Photo by Yume Takakura

Kumi Kaguraoka's artistic practice is centered around the statement, "The body is a tool for dialogue with the world." Traversing fields such as cultural anthropology and philosophy, she explores humanity and its embodiment, focusing on the intersection of society and the body to present new 'body images' through her works and activities.

In 2016, she began the work series "Metamorphosis of the Aesthetic Body," focusing on the universal human desire to "obtain beauty" and exploring the multifaceted relationship between the body and beauty. This series is built upon research and prototyping and is presented as a comprehensive installation including wearable three-dimensional works, drawings serving as their blueprints, prototypes in the trial production stage, video and photographic expressions, as well as collected materials and reports.

From 2022 to 2023, she stayed in New York as an overseas research artist selected by the Yoshino Gypsum Art Foundation. Upon her return to Japan, she held exhibitions based on her research and archival materials from her time there. In recent years, she has expanded her practice to visualize the structures and dynamics of elements such as social values and norms (including beauty), currency, communities, rules, and education, viewing them as a form of 'fiction'.

＜Collections＞

TAKEUCHI COLLECTION (Tokyo)

Terrada Art Storage Inc. (Tokyo)

The Style Art and Cultural Foundation (Tokyo)

【profile】https://app.art-tunes.art/kumi_kaguraoka

【website】http://www.kumi-kaguraoka.com/

【instagram】https://www.instagram.com/kumi_kaguraoka/

Exhibited Works

Face Cage (2021)

Ruff to shape the neck (2021)

Prima Legs right & left (2022)

Extended Finger (2025)

Prototype of ExtendedFinger - no.17 (2026)

Study of Metamorphose (2025)