Kansai's emerging contemporary visual artists gain platform at Art Osaka and citywide showcase

Art Osaka, the 24th edition of an international art fair, featured 52 galleries from 15 cities across Japan and East Asia. Osaka Art & Design, a citywide showcase of art, design and craft, opened May 27 and continues through June 23.

Kansai, encompassing major cities including Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, is the birthplace of Gutai, an influential postwar avant-garde movement known for its emphasis on materiality and performance. The region has produced leading contemporary artists including Kenji Yanobe, Kohei Nawa and Miwa Yanagi.

Emerging creators in Kansai are refining their techniques and pushing experimental boundaries, though the region's artists receive far less recognition than their counterparts in Tokyo.