Fumiyo Yoshikawa at SF Art Fair 2026
Fumiyo Yoshikawa will present works from her Nihonga series Tsunagu – Threads of Continuance at SF Art Fair 2026, held at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture in San Francisco from April 16–19, 2026. Her work will be exhibited by Arc Studios & Gallery.
SF Art Fair is one of the West Coast’s leading contemporary art fairs, bringing together galleries, collectors, and artists from around the world. Within this international context, Yoshikawa’s work offers a quiet yet resonant presence through its engagement with traditional Japanese materials and contemporary sensibility.
Tsunagu – Threads of Continuance reflects on continuity—the invisible threads that connect generations, landscapes, and moments in time. Created with mineral pigments, oyster shell white (gofun), and pure gold on handmade paper, the series explores how memory, nature, and human presence persist rather than disappear.
Through layered pigments and subtle luminosity, the works suggest that what appears fleeting may in fact endure. The presentation at SF Art Fair 2026 provides an opportunity to encounter Yoshikawa’s evolving Nihonga practice within the dynamic cultural landscape of San Francisco.
Tsunagu – Threads of Continuance
© 2026 Fumiyo Yoshikawa
Nihonga pigments on Hosho shikishi, inserted into a hanging scroll format
Black Cat — It Knows (Shirumono)
Sumi ink and gold on Xuan paper,
with unryu paper backing on wooden panel
Black Cat — It Knows (Shirumono)
ART KALA 2026 Exhibition & Auction Benefit
I am honored to announce that my work Black Cat — It Knows (Shirumono) will be featured in the ART KALA 2026 Exhibition & Auction Benefit at Kala Gallery in Berkeley, California.
This painting is part of a diptych inspired by classical Japanese waka poetry from the Kokinshu, one of the earliest imperial anthologies of Japanese poetry. The work reflects on the subtle threshold between dreams and waking reality—an ambiguous space where emotions and intuition quietly arise before they become words.
The painting is created primarily with sumi ink on Xuan paper, with touches of Nihonga pigments and gold, and backed with unryu paper for texture and support. These materials reflect my ongoing engagement with traditional East Asian painting practices while exploring contemporary themes.
The black cat embodies a quiet, intuitive awareness—an understanding that exists before language. In the accompanying poem, tears are described as the first to recognize sorrow in the world. Yet the work also carries a gentle affirmation drawn from a familiar Japanese saying:
“Warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru” — Happiness comes to those who smile.
While only the black cat painting is included in the Kala auction, it originates from a pair of works. The companion piece, White Cat, reflects on another classical poem that questions the nature of reality itself:
Is this world a dream, or is it real?
Even that, we cannot truly know.
Together, the two works contemplate the uncertainty of a world that changes at a tremendous speed. By pairing ancient poetry with a simple proverb, the paintings suggest that even within ambiguity, a small gesture—such as a smile—can open the door to grace.
The work featured in the auction is the Black Cat painting from the diptych.
ART KALA 2026 Exhibition & Auction Benefit
This exhibition and auction supports the programs of Kala Art Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists through residencies, studio access, and community engagement.
By participating in the auction, collectors directly support Kala’s artist residency programs and the vibrant creative community it sustains.
Exhibition & Auction
March 26 – April 25, 2026
Preview Party
Thursday, March 26, 6–9 PM
Auction Closing Party
Saturday, April 25, 6–9 PM
Location
Kala Gallery, Berkeley, California
a FEM-minis Juried NCWCA member show
FEM-minis
An NCWCA Member Exhibition
San Francisco Women Artists gallery 647 Irving Street, SF, CA 94122
Tuesday March 3, 2026 - Thursday April 2, 2026
www.ncwca, @ncwca, www.facebook.com/ncwcachapter
Media contacts:
Christine Cianci, cac@ncwca.org
EXHIBITION STATEMENT from the exhibition catalog:
Fumiyo Yoshikawa has been selected to participate in FEM-minis, an NCWCA member exhibition exploring the broad concept of “FEM.”
The exhibition brings together artists whose works reflect themes of femininity, feminism, identity, and the lived experiences of female-identifying persons across diverse media.
For exhibition details, please visit the NCWCA website.
A Piece of Akasha 1©2024 Fumiyo Yoshikawa
7.5x7.5inch, Sumi-ink, gold on Kozo paper mounted on 5x5 inch wooden panel
Akasha — Shared Memory
This work is part of my ongoing Akasha series, which explores the possibility that memory and existence are connected through an unseen field.
The series emerged from personal reflections on relationships between generations of women. As a child, I held impressions of my mother that I could not fully understand at the time. Later, after becoming a mother myself, I began to imagine how my daughter might experience the world—and how she might one day remember me. Through this shift in perspective, I gradually came to sense my mother’s inner life in ways that had once been invisible to me.
In her later years, when we were able to spend more time together, she sometimes spoke about her own mother, her younger days before marriage, and the people who had shaped her life. Listening to these stories, I began to see her life more fully. In this way, memories of my mother and my own experience as a mother began to overlap across time.
While reflecting on these layered experiences, I encountered the concept of Akasha, described in ancient philosophy as a subtle field that holds the traces of existence. It offered a way of thinking about memory not only as something belonging to a single life, but as something that may quietly resonate across generations.
This perspective also resonates with the concept of Tenchi Dōkon (天地同根)—the understanding that heaven, earth, and all beings share the same root. In Japanese thought, particularly within Shinto tradition, mountains, trees, rocks, the earth itself, and even objects made by human hands are often understood to hold a sacred presence. Life and spirit are not limited to living creatures alone, but are felt as part of a wider, interconnected existence.
The work is created with sumi ink and gold on paper. I begin by allowing ink and water to form spontaneous patterns on the surface. From these formations I gradually draw lines and forms, imagining the flow of time and space unfolding within them. Small areas of gold suggest points of intersection within a vast field—moments where layers of space and time, and perhaps even generations, quietly meet.
Through this process, I seek to evoke a space where individual lives and memories appear distinct, yet remain part of a larger continuum of resonance.
BROWN PALMS, YELLOW BALMS: : REINVENTING CARGIVERS OF COLOR EXHIBITION
A Powerful Exploration of Caregiving by Over 50 AAPI Women-Identified Artists at SOMArts
Further Information
Duo Exhibition
Presented by Inclusion Gallery
Address: 627 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 9411
Instagram : inclusionssf
facebook : inclusionssf
48 Pillars
at Arc Studio Gallery
1246 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Exhibition Period: February 22nd – April 5
Hours: Weds, Thurs 1-6pm; Sat 12-3pm or by appt
Saturday, February 22nd:
7:00-9:00pm: Opening Reception
Saturday, March 29th:
12-4pm: Artist Talk
Happy Luna New Year, 2025!
The Year of the Snake.
The snake has long been revered as a symbol of the Earth’s energy and regeneration. I wish you a wonderful and vibrant New Year!
The Year of the Snake also coincides with my birth year, and I am celebrating my 60th birthday this year. The 60th year, or Kanreki, is said to represent the completion of one cycle and the beginning of a new one. With a renewed spirit, I aim to continue creating even better works. I look forward to your continued support and encouragement in the year ahead.
With love and gratitude,
Fumiyo Yoshikawa
Diptych Images:
Vital Energy – Rebirth and Revival(Hakubyo)
©2025, Fumiyo Yoshikawa
Sumi ink, pure gold, indigo, and Nihonga pigment—mixed with nikawa, a natural animal-protein binder.
Painted on kozo paper and mounted on wooden panels.
Solo Exhibition "天地同根・Todo es Uno"
at
Nova Orbis Arte y Musuca Forum Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
My solo exhibition, “Tenchi Dōkon / All is One,” at Nova Orbis Arte y Música Forum (the former house of Efraín Recinos), Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, was a great success.
Inspired by ancient philosophies—particularly Mayan culture and Jōmon or Shinto beliefs—and cosmic harmony, this exhibition explores humanity's connection to nature and the universe through the lens of traditional Japanese art.
I am deeply grateful to Pedro Palomo of Nova Orbis and everyone who made this event possible.
Click the button below to view images and videos on my Instagram.
Resonance©2024, Fumiyo Yoshikawa, sumi-ink, mineral and natural colors, gold on kozo paper, 19x54inch, 24030083FY
Fumiyo Yoshikawa Solo Show
A Piece of Akasha
at Gallery Hillgate, Kyoto
October 8th to October 13th, 2024
Artist Talk October 12th from 6pm to 8pm
The series “Rasen Spirals,” which I have been gradually developing and adding to since last year, is now complete. This body of work will also be exhibited at my solo exhibition at Gallery Hillgate in Kyoto from 10/8 to 10/13/2024.
This video showcases part of the creation process for my Spiral series. The series will consist of six pieces in total, and I'm also simultaneously working on other pieces for my solo exhibition at Gallery Hillgate, Kyoto this October.
Invitation to
East Bay Open Studios in June 2024
Join us at the East Bay Open Studios for the exciting art showcases
Toru Sugita and Fumiyo Yoshikawa are participating in East Bay Open Studios. We will be showcasing our art, including printmaking, drawings, Sumi-e, calligraphy, mixed media, and more. You can find more information about the event at the following links.
Invitation
to SLIDE SLAM
Event Date: Saturday, March 23, 2023 @ 3-5PM
Who: FREE and open to the public
Venue: The Ruby, San Francisco
(Exact address will be shared once attendees complete registration. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to attend this event.)
Featured AAWAA Members: Terry Acebo-Davis, Sophia Lee, Qinqin Liu, Midori, Kathy Fujii-Oka, Ngân VũSandra Yagi, Fumiyo Yoshikawa
Today, once again, it is raining since the morning, so I decided to take Honey for a walk in the afternoon, believing the weather forecast that it will clear up by then. So, I settled in and started working on my art earlier in the morning. I feel like the series of small pieces I've been gradually preparing since last year for my solo exhibition in Kyoto in the fall of 2025 is starting to take shape.
There is a concept in the universe similar to the Zen philosophy of "Tenchi Doukon/ Everything in Heaven and Earth sharing the same one root," which suggests that all phenomena are connected to one root. It's called the Akashic Records, which is said to store all memories from the past to the present throughout the entire universe. I'm painting this series while imagining what shape and color it would take if such records truly exist.
Speaking of rain, while it is a blessing for drought-stricken California, I worry about the damage if it becomes too unfavorable or turns into a storm. My heartfelt condolences go out to those who are affected by such disasters.
However, as I listen to the sound of rain while pondering the Akashic Records today, memories of my childhood come flooding back. Upon reflection, I realize that when I was a child, I enjoyed walking in the rain more for the simple pleasure it brought rather than seeing it as beneficial rainwater. I loved seeing the concentric circles formed by raindrops hitting the ground, and I enjoyed the unique scent that filled the air when the rain wet the asphalt. Getting new raincoats, umbrellas, or rain boots was always exciting because it meant I could walk in the rain while wearing them. I loved deliberately stepping into puddles or listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting my umbrella.
Each of these memories of mine might be connected and shared with all the memories in the universe. While painting, I contemplate such possibilities.Blog
Feb 07, 2024
