An artwork exhibit for sculptor Yasuda Kan (76), who hails from Bibai but is based in Italy, began on September 1 in Gallery She’s in Asahikawa and the community complex “Centpure 1 and 2” in Higashikawa, a town situated in the Northern Hokkaido Kamikawa region. Works displaying Yasuda’s unique curvaceous beauty in bronze and marble are drawing in visitors.

Yasuda has worked on numerous Japanese and international monuments, and his large white bronze sculpture displayed inside JR Asahikawa Station is well known by both Asahikawa residents and tourists alike.

At Gallery She’s, the Yasuda exhibit is being held as a special exhibit commemorating 30 years since the gallery launched. The lineup consists of 20 sculptures and four prints. Works including the pieces titled Tenpi (The Secret of the Sky) and Ishinki (A Form Returning to Its Heart) feature Yasuda’s signature smooth concave curves. The sculptor commented, “I want people to touch and enjoy these works.” The She’s representative spoke on the amazingness of Yasuda’s works, “The gentle curves and voluminous weight of stone emit a warmth that envelopes people.” Entry is free. The exhibit will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. until September 27. It is closed on Tuesdays.

The Higashikawa show features 18 sculptures made from plaster and bronze, and includes high impact works such as the large piece “Anima” at approximately 2.2 meters in height. This exhibit also encourages visitors to touch the sculptures. The smooth, chilly tactile sensation is part of the attraction.

In 2014, the Higashikawa town government installed one large scale Yasuda work at the school gate for the newly constructed Higashikawa Elementary School building and another one at the neighboring Community Center. In February of this year, “Tenpi” was newly installed at the entrance of the remodeled Higashikawa Bunka Gallery. The sculpture exhibit was organized as a chance to provide another opportunity to encourage town residents to experience Yasuda works in celebration of the third Yasuda installation in the town.

In the opening ceremony on September 1, Yasuda himself spoke about the pieces on display. The exhibit will last until September 26. Entrance is free. Centpure 1 is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and closed on Mondays. Centpure 2 is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and open every day.