Tokyo Art Guide: 4 Must-See Exhibitions This February

February is the month of love. For those who enjoy more quiet, contemplative dates, consider visiting one of these four exhibitions ranging from 19th-century painting to avant-garde Japanese.

Peter Doig

Scottish painter Peter Doig is known for his romantic, abstract landscapes and is considered one of the most important artists of his generation. Doig pulls inspiration from everywhere: the impactful composition and motifs of modern painters, scenes from his favorite films, advertisements and the places to which he’s traveled. This exhibition is his first solo show in Japan and covers the artist’s career from his early work to his latest offerings, inviting viewers to let their imaginations wander through his captivating paintings.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo February 26-June 14, peterdoig-2020.jp/en/

Kazuo Shiraga: A Retrospective

Kazuo Shiraga was an artist and member of the Gutai movement, a group that rebelled against tradition, valorized immediacy and was renowned for their dedication to performance art. Shiraga distinguished himself by his unique painting style, where he used his foot to draw on canvases spread on his floor. He forged new frontiers in the world of Japanese art through his ideas and execution, which went back to the roots of human creation. This exhibition explores his worth thoroughly in the form of paintings and sculptures.

Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery Until March 11, operacity.jp/ag/exh229

Inaugural Exhibition | Emerging Artscape: The State of Our Collection

Since closing its doors in 2015 for renovations, the Bridgestone Museum of Art reopened in January under the new name Artizon Museum. This inaugural exhibition explores the theme of art in all its definitions. Crossing borders, cultures, languages and time, art is the only medium to give us a peek into human nature in its rawest state. These 206 works invite you to view art that weaves together human history, linking the present moment with the past and the future.

Artizon Museum Until March 31, www.artizon.museum

10th Anniversary Exhibition: Dreamed Childhoods – Bonnard, the Nabis and Childhood

Explore 19th century Paris through the works of the Nabis, a group of painters who carried the transition from impressionism to symbolism. Following a common theme of “children,” this selection of paintings, prints and photography among other mediums seeks to compare the lives of the youngest members of society in the 1880s to those living in the new millennium.

Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo February 15-June 7, mimt.jp/kodomo

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For more things to do in Tokyo, check out our online events calendar.