Artist Yukimasa Ida’s first major museum exhibition, “Panta Rhei: For as long as the world turns,” at Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art (on view through Dec. 3), presents the 33-year-old painter taking another big step in his wildly successful career.
The Tottori-born artist, a graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts and son of sculptor and Yonagi Sculpture Symposium founder, Katsumasa Ida, first gained major recognition in 2016, winning the Contemporary Art Foundation Award’s special jury prize. Ida followed up that accolade by becoming the youngest artist to take part in the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’s charity auction in 2017 and being included in Forbes’ 30 under 30 selection in 2018 — more early success than most young artists could reasonably expect.
In an art world increasingly dominated by wealth, “nepo babies” and artists who are as famous for their proximity to fame (Ida is known for his friendship with kabuki actor Ukon Onoe) as their artistic output, some might question such a quick rise as a result of being well-connected. What isn’t under question, however, is Ida’s talent and ability to paint.