AISHO is pleased to present KURU KURU LA LA LA, a solo exhibition by Keiji Izumi, on view from October 17 (Sat) to November 14 (Sat), 2026. This exhibition marks the artist’s first presentation at the gallery in approximately four years, following his exhibition in Hong Kong in 2022.

Keiji Izumi was born in Fukushima Prefecture in 1973. He graduated from the Sculpture Department at Tokyo Zokei University and is currently based in Tokyo.

Izumi’s work takes the human figure—a familiar presence in our everyday lives—as its point of departure, while fluidly traversing the boundaries between reality and imagination, body and environment, and the individual and the world. Primarily working in wood sculpture, he goes beyond capturing the formal characteristics of the human body, transforming the inner world of his subjects and the invisible relationships surrounding their existence into distinctive forms.

Geometric forms connected to the body and elements reminiscent of natural objects extend the emotions and thoughts concealed within the figures outward, giving rise to an organic world of their own. In this world, distinctions between human and non-human, nature and artifice, and figuration and abstraction become blurred, as different elements interact to open up new possibilities for sculptural expression.

At the heart of this practice lies the materiality of wood and the sculptural process through which the artist engages with it. By making use of the material’s inherent texture and volume, and combining diverse forms and colors, Izumi creates works in which a tangible physical presence coexists with a lightness of imagination. Despite their meticulously constructed forms, his sculptures are imbued with a sense of playfulness and a humor that pleasantly defies the viewer’s expectations.

The humor in Izumi’s work goes beyond mere eccentricity or decorative appeal. It serves as a catalyst for questioning the ways we habitually perceive the world and the fixed frameworks through which we understand the things around us. When familiar human figures are transformed through unexpected forms and structures, viewers are drawn into a realm where familiarity and estrangement, as well as reality and unreality, intersect. By adopting a perspective slightly removed from reality, we can discover the uncanny aspects hidden within everyday life and recognize possibilities that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Existing in space as tangible physical objects while giving rise to a multitude of meanings through the viewer’s imagination, Izumi’s sculptures expand our perception and imagination by bringing together seemingly contrasting qualities: meticulous craftsmanship and free-spirited invention, technical precision and humor. Through the universal motif of the human figure, Izumi offers new perspectives from which to reconsider the world around us.

In KURU KURU LA LA LA, Izumi presents seven new sculptures under the theme of “Between the Everyday and the Extraordinary.” The inner worlds of individuals and the invisible relationships surrounding their existence unfold through a rich imagination reminiscent of wandering through an amusement park. These works create a curious world that extends from everyday life yet somehow departs from reality. Through the experience of moving among the sculptures, viewers will be invited to explore and expand their own imaginations.

A reception with the artist will be held on the opening day, Saturday, October 17, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM.

We warmly invite you to visit the exhibition and experience Izumi’s latest works.

Exhibition Information
Exhibition Title: Keiji Izumi: KURU KURU LA LA LA
Dates: October 17 (Sat) – November 14 (Sat), 2026 Opening Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 12:00–18:00 Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays
Venue: AISHO 1F Daikanyama Hoshino, 26-9 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (3-minute walk from Daikanyama Station)
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 17, 15:00–18:00

IZUMI Keiji

1973　Born in Fukushima, Japan
2001　B.A, Sculpture Department, Tokyo Zokei University
2003　Completed Postgraduate Studies, Tokyo Zokei University

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2023　"Today we take a different path from what we did yesterday”, Hiro Hiro Art Space, 

Taipei, Taiwan

2022　"Small Relationships in a Big World”, Quiet Gallery, Hong Kong

2020　“Invention of K”, SHINBI GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan

2019　"PERSON – FORM" The Art Club, Taipei, Taiwan

2013　"Hairy to the bone" ARATANIURANO, Tokyo, Japan

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024　"STUDIO KATAKURIKO EXHIBITION" Yumikobo, Okayama, Japan

2022　"KALEIDOSCOPE" AISHONANZUKA, Hong Kong

2019　"SUPER OPEN STUDIO" STUDIO KATAKURIKO, Kanagawa, Japan

2018　"SUPER OPEN STUDIO" STUDIO KATAKURIKO, Kanagawa, Japan

“Obon night in Koide ke" ZaisyohouseKoide, Nishi-kasugai-gun, Aichi, Japan

2017　"Spring Fever” Komagome Soko, Tokyo, Japan

2017 "N COLLECTION: Ship of Theseus" ART BASE MOMOSHIMA, Hiroshima, Japan

2014 "COLORED NOISE for 8/02/CUBE1,2,3" Sibuya Hikarie 8/CUBE, Tokyo, Japan

2014 "hard-working collectors / easy-going works" Yokohama Creative City Center

 (Yokohama Arts Foundation), Kanagawa, Japan

2013 "New Year's Party" ARATANIURANO, Tokyo, Japan

2012 "The 8th Zokei Contemporary Artists Show - Looking for a wonderland" Tokyo Zokei University Attached Museum, Tokyo, Japan

2011 "JAPANCONGO" Le Magasin - Centre National d'Art Contemporain, Grenoble, France

2011 A Toshiharu Miki Tokyo Zokei University resignation special exhibition "escapes a line" gallery Saoh, Tokyo, Japan

2010 "Living With Art - Contemporary Art from Japan and Taiwan" Yi & C.Contemporary Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2010 "手感的妙 Contemporary airy crafts from Japan to Taiwan Part 2" PROJECT FULFILL ART SPACE, Taipei, Taiwan

2010 "Small Paintings" ARATANIURANO, Tokyo, Japan

Collection

• The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan

• Nasunogahara Museum, Tochigi, Japan

• Franks Suss Collection

• Pigozzi Collection

• Takahashi Collection