"i c m y" – Existing as an Unwavering Color

ADF (Aoyama Design Forum) is pleased to present the 44th edition of its “ADF Art Gallery Project,” featuring "i c m y," a solo exhibition by artist WAKANA, at GARDE Gallery from June 22 to July 6, 2026. In this exhibition, WAKANA presents new works that continue her exploration of emotions and human relationships as they evolve over time. Through paintings featuring balloons as a recurring motif, she reflects on the distance and overlap between people, as well as the contours of one's own identity.

The exhibition title, "i c m y," refers to an "unwavering color." Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow are the three primary colors that exist independently while also serving as the source of countless other colors. WAKANA draws a parallel between these primary colors and human existence. As people, we live while constantly encountering the values, words, and environments of others. These interactions allow us to discover new perspectives and possibilities, yet they can also cause us to lose sight of our original selves when we become overly adapted to our surroundings. In this exhibition, WAKANA places the independent self and the three primary colors on equal footing, exploring the essence of pure color through the texture of paint and painterly expression.

WAKANA

Born in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1998, WAKANA began her artistic practice in 2022.Her paintings visualize emotions that could not be expressed and were locked away inside the heart, gradually weathering and transforming with the passage of time. At the root of these emotions lies the complexity of human relationships. While people find support through their connections with others, those same relationships can also become sources of anxiety and inner conflict. When searching for the origins of these emotional disturbances, people often revisit the past and return to their own starting points. Although time continuously moves toward the future, emotions and thoughts travel freely between the past, present, and future. Focusing on this invisible process, or "PROGRESS," WAKANA captures moments where time and emotion intersect. The act of exploring the distance between individuals resembles her process of painting balloons. The information she depicts changes depending on the neighboring balloon, while the intensity of color shifts according to the light and overlap between forms. For WAKANA, this mirrors the way people are influenced by their environments and relationships. Through these layered compositions, she reflects on how surrounding people and spaces shape individual experiences and perceptions.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

• 2026: "squeak squeak," ALL DAY GALLERY, Tokyo
• 2026: "i c m y," GARDE GALLERY, Tokyo
• 2024: world times gallery, Kobe
• 2024: "A I," 3LFTN apartment Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo

Selected Group Exhibitions

• 2026: AND COLLECTION, Omotesando Hills, Tokyo
• 2025: Karimoku Showroom, Kobe
• 2025: doujidai gallery, Kyoto
• 2024: The Artroom CUCINA Showroom, Osaka
• 2023: TART MARKET 2023 OIL by Bijutsu Techo, Tokyo
• 2023: Hankyu Art FAIR 2023, Hankyu Umeda, Osaka
• 2023: Art in Tokyo YNK, Tokyo Square Garden, Tokyo
• 2023: UPSET, DDDgallery Nagi, Tokyo
• 2022: my colour, gallery201, Tokyo

Selected Art Fairs

• 2025: BANK ART FAIR, Singapore
• 2024: ONE ART Taipei, Taipei

Competitions

•  2025: Independent Tokyo Takeshiba, Tokyo – Special Jury Prize
•  2024: Selected for the 100 Artists Exhibition, Shibuya Cast, Tokyo
• 2023: Selected for the 100 Artists Exhibition, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo