「BETWEEN」Iori Nagashima個展
From June 6 to August 29, 2026, WKM Gallery is delighted to present Japanese artist Iori Nagashima's first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, BETWEEN. Known for his soft, subdued oil paintings of everyday objects and daily routines, the exhibition will showcase the evolution of Nagashima's paintings following his extended residency at SIDE SPACE. The series of new works revolves around motifs and subjects he encountered in the city and local community, reflecting his immersion into the complex layers of Hong Kong.
Nagashima's still lives and figure paintings are defined by absence as much as presence. In his canvases, shadows and shades of grey are sources of energy: evidence of a waxing ray of sunlight crawling from one side of the room to the other, the scent of a quiet summer noon drifting in through an open window, the lingering warmth of a body recently departed. Items well-loved or well-used often serve as subject matter (clothes and shoes left strewn about, an alarm clock on standby), but within this exhibition, we find subtle hints that the artist is no longer in Tokyo.
Created during a period of displacement and observation, the works reflect on how relationships become newly visible when one's environment changes. In an increasingly globalized and homogenized world, Nagashima's works suggest that the distinctions between our realities are often found in the invisible strata that shape the foundation of daily life: atmosphere, memory, perception, and space. The word “between” denotes an intermediary space or pause, as well as the existence of two or more points held in relation. The exhibition approaches this space as a site of observation and connection where we may question our deeper values regarding continuity, care, and truth. Through quiet scenes and layered surfaces, BETWEEN asks how we perceive one another within the complexity of contemporary urban life.
