Tokyo Geidai Classmates, Two Artists Who Went to Different Graduate Schools, Hold Their First Duo Exhibition Immediately After Graduation: Ryo Ogata × Shotaro Sanada "CUE". Over 20 New Works Plus First Collaborative Works to Be Unveiled.

Avex Creator Agency Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Shinsuke Kato; hereinafter: ACA) will host the duo exhibition "CUE" by Ryo Ogata and Shotaro Sanada at WALL_alternative, an alternative night space operated by ACA, from Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to Saturday, May 9, 2026.

This exhibition marks the first time these two artists, who were classmates during their undergraduate studies at Tokyo University of the Arts, have planned and structured an exhibition together. After graduating, Ogata advanced to the graduate school of Tokyo University of the Arts, while Sanada pursued studies at the graduate school of the University of Tokyo, each honing their skills in different fields. This exhibition serves as a point where their paths intersect again immediately after completing their studies.

Ogata, who depicts the invisible, and Sanada, who re-examines the formation of seemingly visible landscapes. When the expressions of these two artists, who approach the world from different directions, intersect, our perception is quietly stirred, and new images emerge.

Ogata has previously found connections in Ukiyo-e and Buddhist paintings, expressing "yokai" (Japanese folklore monsters) and "invisible beings" as subjects in his works through paintings, sculptures, and animations.

Meanwhile, Sanada, while working as a painter, has been engaged in information science research at the University of Tokyo Graduate School, exploring the nature of creativity in the AI era. He has received high acclaim both domestically and internationally for his large-scale abstract paintings that originate from bodily sensations such as gravity and time.
This exhibition attempts to touch upon "the signs just before something emerges," presenting new sensations born from the intersection of their perspectives, having observed each other's creative processes, and the "cue" for these sensations.

At the venue, both artists will exhibit over 20 new and old works, primarily large-scale pieces exceeding 2 meters, in addition to four collaborative works created specifically for this exhibition. The space will feature an overwhelming scale intertwined with delicate expressions.

Furthermore, the adjoining bar will offer a selection of Japanese wines that allow visitors to experience the exhibition concept through taste. Wines from "Domaine Tetta," a winery that has revitalized abandoned farmland in Okayama, bringing forth dormant time and possibilities, will be served, along with a food menu centered on naturally grown vegetables.

An opening reception will be held on the first day, Wednesday, April 15, from 18:00. The artists are also scheduled to be present.

Additionally, a special live performance by a secret guest will be held on the same day from 19:00 to 20:00 to commemorate the exhibition.

On Saturday, May 2, Ryo Ogata and Shotaro Sanada will hold a talk event in a public recording format for MEET YOUR ART. They will delve deeper into their efforts for this exhibition and the background of their respective creative processes.

Please take this opportunity to visit.

<Event Registration>

OPENING RECEPTION：https://forms.gle/PrwH6te8Cxcf7pYW8

TALK SESSION：https://forms.gle/br7ABgrctDnhUme27

*Both require advance registration

*TALK SESSION is by lottery

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"CUE" Ryo Ogata × Shotaro Sanada

"Cue" is a word that signifies a trigger. It is a signal, a subtle sign presented just before something begins. When something not yet fully formed is about to appear, the world transforms from merely "what is there" to "what is rising towards us." This exhibition "CUE" by two painters, Shotaro Sanada and Ryo Ogata, is an exhibition about that moment of emergence.

The landscapes Sanada paints do not merely capture the outlines of scenery. They abstractly weave together the time it takes for a landscape to form, the body standing in that place, and the gravity that anchors the body to the ground. The repeated vertical brushstrokes are not merely a form but a trace of the persistence of seeing itself.

On the other hand, the yokai Ogata paints are not imaginary beings far removed from reality. They are the emotions submerged within people, the unease drifting in cities, the distortions and absurdities of society that have finally begun to take shape. The boundaries between the visible and invisible, human and monstrous, gently blend in his canvases, and by depicting the unseen, he rather shakes the very outline of "human" existence.

When these two stand side by side, "CUE" transcends a mere exhibition title to become a statement of attitude. Sanada focuses on the unconscious time and gravity that constitute visible landscapes, while Ogata rediscovers the outline of reality by depicting invisible beings. Although their directions differ, both touch upon the layer of "cues" where the world reveals itself to us.

For these two, who entered Tokyo University of the Arts in 2020, studied amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and graduated in 2024, the world of expression to be acquired as a profession may not have been clearly open from the start. Distance, obstruction, perception through screens. It can be said that precisely because they navigated such an era, their sensitivity to the presence lurking behind what is seen and to what has not yet fully formed into an image was sharpened. This exhibition "CUE" is their initial attempt to touch upon that moment where the visible evokes the invisible, and the invisible illuminates the outline of reality.

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Ryo Ogata

Born in Tokyo, April 2001.

Entered the Department of Intermedia Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in April 2020, graduated in March 2024, and completed the Master's program in Intermedia Art, Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts in 2026.

He expresses contemporary yokai and invisible beings as subjects in his works through paintings, sculptures, and animations. Additionally, he attempts to visualize worlds existing in the liminal space between yokai and humans, and between this world and the next.

Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/tunami2002/tagged/

Shotaro Sanada

Painter, born in 2000. Graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, and completed the Master's program in Interdisciplinary Information Studies, Graduate School of the University of Tokyo. He creates abstract paintings on the theme of "new landscapes," depicting gravity and time with vertical brushstrokes. He has held solo exhibitions at GINZA SIX, Hankyu Hanshin Department Store, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Taiwan, and other venues. He has created permanent murals at JR Nagano Station and JR Ueno Station, and was selected as Best Debutant of the Year in 2025. He also designs helmets for Winter Olympic Japanese representatives and SUPER FORMULA drivers.

Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/tarobee1212/

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【Artist Attendance Schedule (Planned)】

April 15 (Wed) Ryo Ogata, Shotaro Sanada

April 16 (Thu) - 18 (Sat) Ryo Ogata

April 22 (Wed) Ryo Ogata

April 25 (Sat) Ryo Ogata

April 30 (Thu) Ryo Ogata

May 2 (Sat) Ryo Ogata, Shotaro Sanada

May 9 (Sat) Ryo Ogata

*Artist attendance schedule may change without prior notice. Thank you for your understanding.

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【OPENING RECEPTION】

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Time: 18:00-21:00

*Special live performance from 19:00-20:00

*Normal business hours after 21:00

*Advance registration required / Free admission

Venue: WALL_alternative (4-2-4 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1F)

Registration URL：https://forms.gle/PrwH6te8Cxcf7pYW8

*Please refrain from inquiries regarding live performance details.

【TALK SESSION】

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026

Time: 18:00-19:00

*Normal business hours after 19:00

*Advance registration and lottery required / Free admission

Speakers: Ryo Ogata / Shotaro Sanada / Yuri Kogo (Co-representative of MEET YOUR ART)

Venue: WALL_alternative (4-2-4 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1F)

Registration URL：https://forms.gle/br7ABgrctDnhUme27

*This will be filmed as a public recording for MEET YOUR ART.

*Lottery results will be announced only to winners on Friday, April 24.

Please refrain from inquiries regarding the results. For other inquiries, please contact wall@av.avex.co.jp.

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【Exhibition Overview】

Ryo Ogata × Shotaro Sanada "CUE"

Period: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - Saturday, May 9, 2026

*Closed on Sundays

Hours: 18:00-24:00

Venue: WALL_alternative (4-2-4 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1F)

Admission: Free, no reservation required

HP URL：https://avex.jp/wall/exhibition/799/

Planning/Host: WALL_alternative

Graphic Design: KAKUKAKU

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WALL_alternative

An art space in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, that transmits scenes where music and culture intersect, centered on art. It features an adjoining counter bar that primarily serves natural wines, especially Japanese wines, and is open only at night. Aiming to be a "night gathering place" where diverse people gather and organically mix, it fosters a time where art and daily life, creation and interaction naturally blend.

Instagram：https://instagram.com/wall_alternative

Web：https://avex.jp/wall/