Rediscover the self you’ve long forgotten: Kevin Tsai’s first solo exhibition in Japan lands at Whitestone Gallery Ginza New Gallery this July
Tokyo just got a new spot to check off your list ✨
Key highlights
- Tsai Kang-yong’s first solo exhibition in Japan, “How Long Have You Forgotten Yourself?”, will be held at Whitestone Gallery Ginza New Gallery in Tokyo from July 1 to 25, 2026.
- Along with canvas works featuring Chinese and English text, the exhibition will also present his Japanese-language text art for the first time.
- Taiwanese artist Cheng Yi-chi, his sole collaborator, will debut the “Ordinary People & Extraordinary Words” series at the exhibition.
- The opening reception will be held on the afternoon of July 4, 2026, with artist Tsai Kang-yong also attending in person.
Sometimes, a holiday’s romance is hidden in a cake, and sometimes life’s answers are found in a single sentence. When was the last time you slowed down and truly listened to your inner voice? For women who are always focused on others, the “words” Kevin Tsai has prepared this time may be just what you need right now.
- Related reading: When design no longer chases the future: Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign gently returns to the “present”!
In recent years, Tsai Kang-yong has turned his deep grounding in language into contemporary art. Using minimalist colors and layouts, he brings to canvas words and phrases that may go unnoticed in everyday life or have lost their weight through overfamiliarity. In his first solo exhibition in Japan, titled “How Long Have You Forgotten Yourself?” (どれくらい自分を忘れていたのか？), he presents acrylic-on-canvas works including “How long have you been a stranger_A1” and “Let it be_A1.”
“This was always your painting. I just helped you find it.”
Contemporary art can often feel distant to many people, yet Tsai Kang-yong’s work is like an old friend you’ve known for years. The paintings in this exhibition are more than the artist’s one-way self-expression; they offer gentle guidance. As this line suggests, the works become invisible threads connecting viewers with their own memories, encouraging a quiet dialogue.
Also worth watching is Tsai Kang-yong’s sole artistic collaborator, Taiwanese multidisciplinary designer Cheng Yi-chi. This time, he will unveil the “Ordinary People & Extraordinary Words” series in Tokyo for the first time. Cheng cleverly replaces parts of his subjects’ faces with lines from classical songs and literary works, making the text part of each portrait and quietly raising questions of identity for viewers.
The exhibition will open in Tokyo’s Ginza district in early July.
Tsai Kang-yong’s solo exhibition, “How Long Have You Forgotten Yourself?”, will open at Whitestone Gallery Ginza New Gallery from July 1 to 25, 2026. An opening reception will also be held on July 4, with the artist attending in person. If you’re planning a trip to Japan around that time, consider adding this special exhibition to your itinerary and giving yourself an afternoon for quiet reflection.
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