SEIZAN Galley New York is please to present Bedtime Stories, a group exhibition focused on smaller scale works by four Japanese artists: Ruiji Aiba, Yuichi Kashima, Akihiro Misaki, and Ami Yamashiro. 

Ruiji Aiba (b. 1964, Fukuoka, Japan) creates ceramic sculptures of imaginary figures and animals derived from Japanese and Chinese folklore. His works fit into the palm of a hand and are painted in iridescent colors with meticulous detail. The creepy, yet whimsical creatures of Aiba with their strange tales lure viewers into another world. The exhibition includes his sculptural work and utilitarian pieces such as sake cups, tea pots and a lamp shade. 

Yuichi Kashima (b. 1981, Tokyo, Japan) often depicts nightscapes derived from his memory: A highway wrapping around a remote mountain, a bridge shooting through two tunnels across the Kano river, or a rural road that frames a grid of rice fields. The mundane yet dreamlike scenes capture the living breathing essence of the landscape, as if it was some sort of living creature. The show includes four lithographs by Kashima produced since 2013. 

Lithograph artist Akihiro Misaki (b. 1987, Tokyo, Japan) focuses on simple shapes, objects and ordinary scenes. They are often photocopies of images that begin in the artist’s mind, yet resonate with the viewer, in shared nostalgia. It's as if the scenes are from our own memory or dreams. The show includes six prints produced since 2013. 

Ami Yamashiro (b. 1987, Fukuoka, Japan) is a master of etching and Mezzotint prints. In rich black ink, she recreates mythical scenes featuring a long-haired girl, animals, and mysterious objects.

The images are reminiscent of fantasies from another time such as Alice in Wonderland. They are eerie and awkward, yet strangely comforting, and invite us to imagine what might happen next. 

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