A Solo Exhibition Exploring Repetition and Perception

Artist Masaya Yoshioka will present his solo exhibition “The Staircase” from May 28 to May 31, 2026 at Minnano Gallery in Tokyo. The exhibition features a body of paintings depicting a staircase constructed by the artist himself inside his studio. Produced intensively over a short period in early 2026, the works all focus on the same staircase while generating distinct visual experiences through variations in composition, distance, and light.

Painting Through Repetition

Yoshioka has consistently developed his practice through the repeated depiction of specific motifs. Born into a family of temple carpenters, he learned painting through copying and repetition within an environment where technical skills were acquired through continuous practice. This methodology remains central to his current work, with recurring compositions and subjects becoming defining characteristics of his paintings. One of his best-known motifs is the convenience store, which he has continued to paint since the mid-2000s. After nearly two decades of accumulation, these landscape paintings depicting convenience stores in regional Japan were consolidated in 2025 under the title “Fiftysix Convenience Stores.”

Different Perceptions Emerging from a Single Motif

Rather than presenting specific events or narratives directly, Yoshioka’s paintings engage viewers through memory and personal experience, inviting multiple interpretations. The staircase paintings similarly reveal how repeated imagery can produce shifting perceptions. The intensity of the production process, combined with the singular nature of the staircase motif, has also influenced artists and exhibitions surrounding Yoshioka’s practice, generating new responses and related works.

Focusing on the Emergence of the Staircase Paintings

This exhibition returns to the early phase in which the staircase paintings first emerged. By presenting a concentrated group of works created within a short timeframe, the exhibition highlights the subtle differences generated through repetition and the transformations that arise through accumulation. “The Staircase” also serves as a point of departure for future artistic developments and interdisciplinary connections expanding outward from this motif.

Masaya Yoshioka　Profile

Born in 1981 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. Raised in a family of temple carpenters, Masaya Yoshioka mastered traditional craft techniques before becoming independent, while also studying Western painting independently from an early age. His work depicts rural landscapes where contemporary culture and folk sensibilities intersect, rendered through a wide range of painterly styles. His awards include the Tokyo Wonder Wall Prize (2008), Toyota Art Exhibition ’07 Jury Prize (2007), Shell Art Award Jury Encouragement Prize selected by Mika Kuraya (2006), and the Exchanging Seeds Vol.2 Advisor Prize (2006).