Exhibition of works by Shintaro Tanaka
Current
Friday5 June - Saturday29 August 2026
Art Front Gallery is pleased to present the exhibition “Yusuke Nakahara and His Era: Art Front Gallery Selection.
| Opening hours | Tue~Sat 11:00AM~5:00PM |
| Closed on | Sun, Mon, and 11~15 Aug |
Exhibition Highlight
From his striking debut at the age of 19 until his passing at 79, Shintaro Tanaka remained a vital presence in the history of Japanese contemporary art from the 1960s onward. Art Front Gallery had the privilege of collaborating with Tanaka in various ways over the years, including solo exhibitions, the 2020 retrospective at Ichihara Lakeside Museum, as well as public art projects and art festivals.
At a time when renewed attention is being given to his work through the exhibition Shintaro Tanaka – Far Away from Meaning at Setagaya Art Museum (on view through June 28), Art Front Gallery is pleased to present a selection of outstanding works from our collection.
The exhibition features large-scale paintings created around the time of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, including HAN – Black Hair and HAN – Even on Snowy Days, as well as the oil painting Anemophily, drawings, and archival materials and video documentation related to projects developed through Tanaka’s collaborations with Art Front Gallery, including Faret Tachikawa and the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale.
At a time when renewed attention is being given to his work through the exhibition Shintaro Tanaka – Far Away from Meaning at Setagaya Art Museum (on view through June 28), Art Front Gallery is pleased to present a selection of outstanding works from our collection.
The exhibition features large-scale paintings created around the time of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, including HAN – Black Hair and HAN – Even on Snowy Days, as well as the oil painting Anemophily, drawings, and archival materials and video documentation related to projects developed through Tanaka’s collaborations with Art Front Gallery, including Faret Tachikawa and the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale.
Featured Artists
Shintaro Tanaka
Born in Tokyo in 1940, Shintaro Tanaka is regarded as one of the leading figures of Japan’s postwar avant-garde art movement, notably through his activities in the Independent Exhibition and with the Neo-Dada Organizers during the 1960s. Pursuing a distinctive artistic language throughout his career, he created minimalist paintings and sculptural works charged with tension, and had a profound influence not only on contemporary art but also on the worlds of design and architecture, including figures such as Shiro Kuramata.
Due to illness, Tanaka stepped away from artistic production for a period beginning in 1980. After recovering, he presented "Landscape Comes Vertically" in 1985, marking his return to artmaking. Thereafter, he continued to work energetically in his studio in Hitachi City until the end of his life.
In 2000, he created "Tower of Circle, Triangle and Square with Red Dragonflies" for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. Tanaka also realized numerous commissioned works for sites including the Bridgestone headquarters and Sapporo Dome, and his works became familiar presences within everyday public landscapes. He passed away in 2019.
Due to illness, Tanaka stepped away from artistic production for a period beginning in 1980. After recovering, he presented "Landscape Comes Vertically" in 1985, marking his return to artmaking. Thereafter, he continued to work energetically in his studio in Hitachi City until the end of his life.
In 2000, he created "Tower of Circle, Triangle and Square with Red Dragonflies" for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. Tanaka also realized numerous commissioned works for sites including the Bridgestone headquarters and Sapporo Dome, and his works became familiar presences within everyday public landscapes. He passed away in 2019.