Yoichiro Yoda has spent most of his life living in New York, where he is increasingly alarmed at the frequent demolitions of the city's buildings and the incessant noise of heavy construction work. Upset to see his adopted hometown being gradually destroyed, Yoda chose painting as a way to memorialize New York scenery.
His paintings depict a wide variety of buildings, including old theaters, hotels, amusement parks and more. What inspires Yoda, however, is not nostalgia. Instead, he lets his imagination reinvent the past to create something new. This exhibition is Yoda's first retrospective to be held in Japan, reviewing 20 years of his career; till Oct. 21.
Mitaka City Callery of Arts; (0422) 79-0033; 5F Koral, 3-35-1, Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo; Mitaka Station, JR Chuo Line. 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. ¥600. Closed Mon (except Sep 17, Oct 8), Sep 18, Oct 9. www.mitaka.jpn.org/ticket/gallery.