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Tenri Gallery Information
Gallery Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 12 ~ 6 pm
Saturday: 12 ~ 3 pm
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Shungo Oyama once faced world-class opponents in PRIDE and K-1, including Wanderlei Silva, Peter Aerts, and members of the Gracie family. Today, the former MMA fighter channels the resolve forged in the ring into painting, exploring "the energy of life."
A turning point came when he was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, a serious disease affecting the heart. He taught himself to paint as a way to express the emotions and passion within him, creating more than 400 works in roughly 10 months.
"Life is finite. But that's exactly why I think life is wonderful," he says.
His paintings express loneliness, inner conflict, and hope through color and line. Unconstrained by formal technique or composition, they carry a raw emotional force, revealing both intensity and vulnerability. The pressure and hardship he experienced as a fighter continue to shape his creative work.
"Even hardship can become a gift, depending on how you look at it."
More than 900 people visited his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2025; some were moved to tears. "I believe some things can be conveyed without words," he says.
At Tenri Gallery in Manhattan, October 19 - 21, Oyama will share that deeply personal world with New York audiences. His fight continues through color and emotion.
Shungo Oyama, painter
Shungo Oyama is a former mixed martial artist who competed in PRIDE against some of the world's leading fighters. After being diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, he taught himself to paint and created more than 400 works in approximately 10 months. His first solo exhibition, The World of Shungo Oyama, drew more than 900 visitors during its weeklong run in Mejiro, Tokyo, in 2025. He continues to create art centered on "the energy of life." https://www.instagram.com/shungooyama/?hl=ja
Interview (ENG) - https://nybiz.nyc/event/former-mma-fighter-shungo-oyama-finds-a-new-form-of-expression-in-new-york_eng/
Interview (JP) - https://nybiz.nyc/ny-news/shungo-oyama-ny-solo-exhibition-2026/
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact the curator, NY Biz, at info@weeklybiz.us; artist's representative: Akiko Kudo, kudo@weeklybiz.us
Painter Nobuko Kawamura invites viewers into her world of light and color
Landscapes That Let in Light and Air
Sunlight filters through golden foliage; blue skies and autumn trees shimmer on a lake. Nobuko Kawamura's paintings capture the quiet beauty of Japan's landscapes.
"I want to paint pictures that are like opening a window in a room, letting in light and air," she says.
Influenced by Monet and Corot, Kawamura explores light through subtle, layered colors, hoping to bring brightness and peace to viewers' lives.
She studied oil painting at Nihon University College of Art. Her work has been selected for the Issuikai and Nitten exhibitions, and her solo shows throughout Japan have attracted collectors for many years.
Experiencing What Photographs Cannot Convey
Her first New York solo exhibition at Tenri Gallery will feature approximately 30 paintings, including large-scale works.
"There's an atmosphere and a quality of light that photographs can't convey. I really want people to experience the actual works."
Their depth and delicate colors can make viewers feel as though they have stepped into the landscape. Despite her anxiety before each exhibition, Kawamura's desire to share that experience has brought her to New York.
Nobuko Kawamura, painter
Kawamura's work has been selected for the Nitten exhibition. She is currently an associate member of the Issuikai art association and an associate committee member of the Kensuikai art association. She has held solo exhibitions at department stores and galleries across Japan. Influenced by Monet, Corot, and other Impressionists, she continues to paint Japanese landscapes with light as her central theme. Her work is highly regarded for its soft light and rich use of color, and her exhibitions and paintings have long attracted collectors.
https://nobukokawamura.jimdofree.com/
Interview (ENG) - https://nybiz.nyc/event/painter-nobuko-kawamura-brings-the-light-of-japans-landscapes-to-new-york_eng/
nterview (JP) - https://nybiz.nyc/event/nobuko-kawamura-first-solo-exhibition-new-york/
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact the curator, NY Biz, at info@weeklybiz.us; artist's representative: Akiko Kudo, kudo@weeklybiz.us
For More Information:
Tenri Cultural Institute, 212-645-2800
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