ADF (NPO Aoyama Design Forum) is pleased to present "i c m y," a solo exhibition by artist WAKANA, as the 44th installment of the ADF Art Gallery Project. The exhibition features new works that explore the intersection of time and emotion through the distances and overlapping relationships between balloons.

Reflecting on the exhibition, WAKANA shares the following statement.

"The title of this exhibition, 'i c m y,' refers to colors that remain true to themselves. They are not created through mixing; they exist as those colors from the very beginning. Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, the three primary colors, each exist independently while serving as the foundation for countless other colors. They remain as they are, neither blended away nor diminished by others. I believe people are much the same.

We live our lives gradually blending with the values, atmospheres, and words of those around us. Through these overlaps, we discover landscapes we could never have seen alone and colors we could never have reached by ourselves. Yet when we blend too much, we can easily lose sight of our own contours. A color that feels comfortable to someone else. The pursuit of the 'right' answer. The desire to fit in. In those moments, I feel that our original vibrancy can slowly become clouded. Even if we are imperfect or still growing, I hope we can cherish the unique color that has existed within us since the day we were born.

In 'i c m y,' I place the independent 'I' and the primary colors 'cmy' on equal footing. Through the colors and textures of paint, I hope viewers will enjoy discovering colors of pure intensity that remain unwavering and true to themselves."

Artist Profile | WAKANA
Born in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1998, WAKANA began her artistic practice in 2022. Through her paintings, she explores the gradual fading of emotions that were once locked away and left unexpressed. Human relationships often lie behind the suppression of emotion; while connections with others provide support, they can also give rise to conflict and uncertainty. In searching for the roots of these emotional disturbances, people often revisit the past and return to their origins. Although time continuously moves forward, 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.

She also draws parallels between the way people navigate emotional and interpersonal distances and the process of observing and painting balloons. Just as the appearance of one balloon changes according to the light, overlap, and presence of another, people are likewise shaped by the individuals and environments surrounding them. Her work reflects these subtle yet profound influences.

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
2023: Art in Tokyo YNK, Tokyo Square Garden, Tokyo
2023: UPSET, DDDgallery Nagi, Tokyo
2022: my colour, gallery201, Tokyo

Selected Art Fairs & Awards
2025: BANK ARTFAIR, Singapore
2024: ONE ART Taipei, Taipei
2025: Independent Tokyo Takeshiba, Special Jury Prize
2024: Selected for the 100 Artists Exhibition, Shibuya CAST, Tokyo
2023: Selected for the 100 Artists Exhibition, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo

Exhibition Period: June 22 (Mon) – July 6 (Mon), 2026, until 4:00 PM
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Opening Reception: June 22 (Mon), 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue: GARDE Gallery
Address: NBF ALLIANCE Building 4F, 5-2-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Notice: Please refrain from asking the first-floor store for directions to the gallery venue.
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays
Admission: Free
URL: WAKANA Instagram