In this exhibition, two Japanese artists: Kaoru Arima and Hikari Ono are brought into dialogue for the first time. At first glance their practices may appear distant: Arima works primarily through painting, while Ono develops her language through sculptural forms made from clay. Yet beneath this apparent difference lies a profound philosophical and conceptual affinity. The exhibition proposes that their works meet not in material, but in vision in the way both artists approach the act of creation as a meditative and almost metaphysical process.

Both Arima and Ono treat their respective mediums as surfaces of thought rather than mere techniques. Arima’s paintings unfold through subtle gestures and restrained compositions that evoke a contemplative state. His work reflects a sensibility deeply rooted in Japanese aesthetics, where emptiness, silence and the interval between forms become as significant as the forms themselves. The canvas becomes a field where presence and absence coexist, inviting the viewer into a quiet space of reflection.

Hikari Ono approaches clay in a similarly philosophical way. Her works are created from unfired clay that is carefully shaped and left to dry, rather than being fired in a kiln. Because of this, her practice distances itself from conventional ceramic or craft traditions. Instead, Ono conceives her works almost as if they were paintings in three dimensions. The surface of the clay becomes a plane where colour, texture and rhythm interact in a painterly dialogue. Her pieces reveal a sensibility that transcends the boundaries of medium, moving toward a poetic exploration of matter and form.

The decision to place Arima and Ono together therefore arises from an intuitive recognition of a shared sensibility. Both artists operate within a space where the material world becomes a vehicle for spiritual inquiry. Their works resonate with the principles of Japanese philosophical traditions in which nature, impermanence and the invisible forces underlying reality are central themes. Rather than imposing meaning, their works allow meaning to emerge slowly, through contemplation.

There is also an esoteric dimension that connects their practices. In both artists’ works, the surface functions almost as a threshold between visible and invisible realms. Arima’s paintings suggest atmospheres that seem to hover between landscape and abstraction, while Ono’s clay forms embody an internal energy that feels both grounded and transcendent. Each work becomes a site where transformation occurs where matter is not static but alive with subtle movement.

Seen together, their works create a quiet but powerful conversation. Painting and clay cease to be separate disciplines and instead reveal themselves as parallel languages exploring similar questions: how can form express the invisible? How can matter carry memory, time and spiritual resonance?

This exhibition invites viewers to experience the subtle dialogue between the two artists and to consider how artistic practices that appear different can in fact converge through shared philosophical intentions. By bringing Kaoru Arima and Hikari Ono into the same space, the exhibition proposes a meeting point between mediums, generations and sensibilities, a space where art becomes a bridge between material presence and inner perception.

Curated by Annalisa Lombardo

Join us on Wednesday the 22nd of April from 6pm for a reception to celebrate the exhibition and a walkthrough in the presence of Hikari Ono.