ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) opened ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE in the CI Plaza, a commercial facility situated next to ITOCHU’s Tokyo Head Office, in October 2012. The gallery is part of ITOCHU’s social contribution activities, with the aim of developing the future generation through art, contributing to the local community and promoting both local and overseas art and culture. Various exhibitions have since been held in the space.

Together with Hakkendo Inc., which provides support for young artists, ITOCHU will jointly organize a large-scale exhibition to showcase artwork featuring sheep, which is the animal of the Chinese zodiac for 2015, created by more than 100 young and energetic artists aged 35 or younger at the ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE.

The Chinese character meaning sheep (羊) carries the meanings of happiness, good fortune, auspiciousness and goodness due to its association with another Chinese character (祥) which incorporates it. Since sheep form flocks, it also represents a stable family in which the members remain on good terms with one another and live in peace forever.
Find your favorite sheep from the original images of sheep depicted in many different styles, including Japanese paintings, Western paintings, prints and 3D works of art, and celebrate the coming of a new year together! At the exhibition, visitors are sure to enjoy meeting a ton of sheep.

• This exhibition is connected with another major exhibition of works by young artists, titled Art no Chikara (the power of art), held on the sixth floor of the Main Building of ISETAN Shinjuku Store from Friday, January 2 to Monday, January 5, 2015. A tote bag featuring sheep will be offered to each of the first 30 visitors to both exhibitions.

Celebrating 2015 with art: The tons of sheep! Exhibition