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 was 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.

ITOCHU announced today that the “Kotaro Isobe Japanese Painting Exhibition: Biotop - ikimono no iru basho [place where living creatures dwell]” will be held at ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE.

The theme of the works is “biotop,” which is German for biotope, the space maintained by an original ecosystem. During every season of the year countless small creatures share the space inhabited by humans. A biotope is an environment in which humans, plants, and animals co-exist in an ideal way. In Japan, there still remain ideal environments for nature’s small creatures to inhabit, with its rich natural features of satoyama woodland that are home to insects which visit flowers in swarms, as well as creatures such as frogs and dragonflies that inhabit ponds, rice paddies, and other wet areas. The seasonal changes of flora and fauna are sensitively portrayed by incorporating the traditional techniques of Japanese painting into the motifs of the small living creatures and plants that come together in these biotopes.
Isobe is attracting attention as an up-and-coming young Japanese-style painter. We hope that you will come and see his fresh works for yourself.

Outline of “Kotaro Isobe Japanese Painting Exhibition: Biotop - ikimono no iru basho [place where living creatures dwell]”