Quiet yet profoundly affecting, Junichi Mori’s works engage the viewer on a deeply physical level. Working across sculpture, ceramics, photography, painting, and other media, he continues to expand the possibilities of sculptural expression through a wide range of materials, including stone and wood. Presented extensively in Japan and internationally, his practice offers a contemplative exploration of time, memory, and place.
Tokyo Gendai provides a rare opportunity to experience the material presence of Mori’s work firsthand—to encounter its texture, scale, and the subtle transformations brought about by changing light, qualities that cannot be fully conveyed through photographs.
In this interview, Mori reflects on the evolution of his artistic practice and shares insights into the ideas and processes shaping his work today.
Could you tell us what first inspired you to begin making art, including sculpture? Were there any particular events or artists that influenced your practice?
The exhibition Ripple Across the Water ’95, held in Aoyama and Harajuku in Tokyo, as well as in Nagasaki in the summer of 1995, was a major turning point for me in thinking about my artistic practice. Although I was unable to visit the Nagasaki venue, I was deeply struck by Tatsuo Miyajima’s work, which appeared on the exhibition flyer. That exhibition prompted me to look more closely at the history of my hometown, Nagasaki, and it has continued to shape my work ever since.
Your practice spans sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, and other media. How do you decide which materials and techniques to use for each work?
There is no fixed process in my practice. Every work develops through a different sequence of steps. Sometimes the concept of a work is closely tied to a particular material or technique, while at other times my studio environment or the exhibition space influences those choices.
The limitations inherent in certain materials and techniques can also cause the creative process to drift in unexpected directions, leading me toward new images and ideas.
Could you tell us about the series you are currently working on?
Since 2025, I have been working on a series titled astral shadow. The project will eventually consist of between 400 and 500 sculptures of varying sizes.
The series was inspired by Alberto Giacometti’s Cube, and I primarily work with onyx, a semi-translucent stone with intricate natural veining. By embracing the unique qualities of this material, I explore themes such as the passage of time and the memories embedded in both materials and people.
Do you have a message for visitors who will encounter your work at Tokyo Gendai?
At Tokyo Gendai, I will be presenting part of the astral shadow series. I hope visitors will enjoy imagining what the complete work might one day become.
Thank you very much! We look forward to seeing your work in September.
Encounter Time Carved in Stone — Experience Junichi Mori’s Sculptures at Tokyo Gendai.
Dates:
11-13 September 2026 (Fri-Sun) *Vernissage: 10 September (Thu)
Venue:
Pacifico Yokohama
Booth:
Mizuma Art Gallery
Ticket Purchase:
Junichi Mori (b. 1965, Nagasaki, Japan) completed his MFA in Sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1996. His practice spans sculpture, ceramics, photography, and painting, exploring themes of time, memory, and place through a diverse range of materials and media. Mori is known for his series of marble and boxwood sculptures inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings of flowing water and hair, as well as works reflecting on the history of the atomic bombing of his hometown, Nagasaki. Recent exhibitions include From Goya to Picasso, and to Nagasaki: Artists’ Visions of War (Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, 2025), Tokyo Biennale 2025, and mirror in the backyard (Mizuma Art Gallery, Tokyo, 2026).
