Mitsuru Sakurai Solo Exhibition “imu”

Sho+1 is pleased to present “imu,” the second solo exhibition by Mitsuru Sakurai on view from July 24 (Fri) to August 29 (Sat), 2026. An opening reception will be held on July 23 (Thu) at 6pm. Following his early work Fe and BP, a series themed around family, Sakurai has once again turned his gaze toward the existence of the "self." In this exhibition, he will present a new series that confronts the fundamental questions of "seeing/being seen" and "presence/absence" through self-portraiture. Drawing inspiration from the concept of Hibutsu (hidden Buddha statues) in Buddhist philosophy, he explores the nature of existence, which is transformed through the act of observation. Through photographic expression that overlays multiple perspectives and temporalities, he presents the fluid instability of a self that is present, yet remains impossible to fully capture. With this exhibition, Sakurai aims to provide an opportunity for viewers to question the very act of "seeing" itself. Artist Statement Following my early work Fe and the family-focused BP, I found myself creatively adrift. Within that void, the point to which I ultimately returned was the "self." This project draws inspiration from Buddhist philosophy. The Buddha is, at its core, an absolute truth; a Buddhist statue is merely its physical manifestation. In the past, Hibutsu (hidden Buddhas) were concealed from public view, holding profound significance simply through their quiet existence. In these hidden Buddhas, I observed a quantum-like state in which existence changes according to whether it is observed. Namely, until it is seen, it undeniably exists within human consciousness. The very moment it is observed, it collapses into an object of perception. By layering multiple perspectives and temporalities, this work captures the fluctuation of the self—an entity that is "present, yet absent." It presents an existence that is simultaneously multifaceted and singular: a truth offered in its unobserved state. Mitsuru Sakurai Artist Profile Mitsuru Sakurai Born in Tokyo. Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University in 2003. In the same year, he joined amana inc. and was assigned to AURA, where he began working as a retoucher in 2006. He went independent in 2011 and has since worked extensively in advertising, architectural, and product photography. In 2014, he established MSPG Studio in Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. He has served as a part-time lecturer at Tokyo Zokei University since 2023. Using photography as his primary medium, he continuously questions the nature of "existence" and the "self."
 Awards 2002 Konica Minolta Photo Premio Winner 2014 Prix de la Photographie de Paris（PX3） Nature/wildlife category Gold medal 2016 Graphis Photography Annual 2016 ‘Series Gold’ 2019 IPA (International Photography Award) Architecture/Industrial 1st Place 2021 Tokyo TDC Annual Awards 2021 Prize Nominee Works 2023 Sony World Photography Awards 2023 Professional Architecture & Design category Shortlist Past Exhibitions Solo Exhibitions： 2022 "BP" Sho+1, Tokyo 2020 “Fe" 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo 2021 "Fe" 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo Group Exhibitions： 2025 “Between Scenes” Sho+1, Tokyo 2022 "Illusion of Reality" GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS FOAM COMTEMPORARY, Tokyo 2022 “ART FAIR TOKYO 2022” Sho+1, Tokyo 2019 “IPA (International Photography Award) Best of Show exhibition - curated selection” New York and others Mitsuru Sakurai Instagram：@mitsuru.sakurai_photo Website：http://www.mspg.xyz/ Overview Mitsuru Sakurai Solo Exhibition “imu”
 Organizer : Sho+1 Producer : plana inc.
 Date：July 24 (Fri) – August 29 (Sat), 2026 Time：12:00 – 18:00 / Closed on Sundays, Mondays and Public Holidays Summer Holidays：August 9 – 17, 2026 Venue：Sho+1 ※Opening Reception
July 23 (Thu) 6pm – 8pm Venue：Sho+1
 The artist will attend the reception. Please feel free to join us.