A selection of paintings by Japanese artist Keita Morimoto (previously featured here). Born in Osaka and currently based in Tokyo, Morimoto moved to Canada after graduating from high school. He lived in Toronto for 16 years before returning to Japan in 2022. Morimoto’s artistic approach is highly empathetic as he often places himself in the shoes of his subjects, painting from their perspective rather than asserting himself or his own point of view.

His latest solo exhibition builds on previously explored themes such as the challenges of contemporary urban life and the specialness of the ordinary or everyday. Based on his own photographs, Morimoto’s paintings do not depict fictional worlds imagined by the artist. They represent special moments in the lives of his subjects wherein they are able to assert their individuality without being constrained by the roles society has assigned them. See more images from “A Little Closer” below or on display at Kotaro Nukaga, Roppongi until September 16.