Arts Maebashi in Gunma will host the exhibition “Ghosts: When the Invisible Becomes Visible” from September 20 to December 21.
The exhibition investigates the allure of the unseen, presenting works of painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation through the lens of “ghosts.” By asking whether ghostlike images can act as a medium bridging past and future, the show highlights the hidden beauty of artistic expression within the concept of the ghost.
The lineup includes new works by rising artists Shota Yamauchi and Naoya Hirata, who employ advanced technology, alongside pieces by internationally renowned figures such as Christian Boltanski, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Yuko Higuchi. The exhibition will also feature works developed through on-site research in Maebashi.
In addition to the main program, related events are scheduled: a sound-immersive theater by daisydoze inspired by local poet Sakutaro Hagiwara, a citywide installation of “Curtain Call” by theater group Mum & Gypsy, and gallery talks led by the museum’s director and curators.
A statement from the exhibition’s director, Fumio Nanjo, reads as follows:
“Ghosts” are neither relics of the past nor mere fantasies.
Director Fumio Nanjo
They are another layer of noise that exists, undeniably, just beyond our field of vision—even in this very moment.
The concept of the “ghost” can be understood as a metaphor for the invisible, the vanished, the abandoned, or the lingering traces of the past and the possibilities of the future that press upon our present. In a world overshadowed by war, division, technological threats, environmental destruction, and the despair of the Anthropocene, ghosts remind us of what lies beyond the visible.
This exhibition seeks to turn our attention to such unseen presences, to engage in dialogue with them, and to welcome them back as part of our world—opening the way to new possibilities for us all.
—Fumio Nanjo, Director
gain as part of our world, and to open up new possibilities for us.
Ghosts: When the Invisible Visible
Exhibition Details
Dates: September 20 (Sat) – December 21 (Sun), 2025
(80 open days, 12 closed days)
Venue: Arts Maebashi, 1st Floor Gallery + Basement Gallery
Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (last entry at 5:30 PM)
Closed: Wednesdays
Admission:
- General: ¥1,000 [about $7]
- Students / Seniors 65+ / Groups of 10 or more: ¥800 [about $5.50]
- High school students and younger: Free
Additional Notes:
- Admission to the 1st Floor Gallery is free
- Visitors with a disability certificate and one accompanying person: Free
- Free admission on October 28 (Gunma Prefecture Day) and November 3 (Culture Day)
- Free admission on October 11 (Sat) and December 13 (Sat) for Diverse Learning Days
Organizer: Arts Maebashi
Support: Jomo Shimbun, Gunma TV, FM GUNMA, Maebashi City FM, Maebashi Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Exhibiting Artists:
Approximately 100 works by 20 artist groups (16 from Japan, 4 from overseas)
(in Japanese alphabetical order)
Ai Iwane, Yoshinori Niwa, Hrair Sarkissian, Kenichi Obana + Toshiaki Ishikura, Daijiro Morohoshi, Yuko Higuchi, Naoya Hirata, Fuyuko Matsui, Seishu Shimpei, Iri & Toshi Maruki, Kyo Takemura, Taishi Nishi, Christian Boltanski, Tadanori Yokoo, Atsushi Suwa, Apichatpong Weerasethakul + Chai Siris, Tony Oursler, Mum & Gypsy, Shota Yamauchi, daisydoze
