Sat. April 25 – Sat. May 23, 2026

Gallery Yamaki Fine Art is pleased to announce the opening of “Kenji INUMAKI: Scope of Linealism —Grids of Thought” on April 25, 2026, an exhibition tracing the profound trajectory of Kenji Inumaki (1943–2023). While our gallery has consistently premiered Inumaki’s latest works since 2014, this exhibition builds upon that history by presenting a curated selection of prominent works from our previous showcases, offering a comprehensive reflection on the evolution of his thought and the expansive nature of his expression.

In Inumaki’s practice, the “line” was never a mere formal element; rather, it served as a fundamental method for measuring the structure of the world and interrogating the very foundations of perception. In his spatial installations of the late 1960s and early 1970s involving thread and wire, Inumaki did not seek to present physical objects, but instead manifested planes and volumes within transparent space. These works functioned as apparatuses that prompted a transformation in the viewer’s own perception, where the line acted as a vector—dividing and reconstructing space—to establish a new phase within the invisible realm.

This exploration remained steadfast even after his practice shifted to the two-dimensional plane from the mid-1970s onward. His repetitive drawing of grids using graph paper and sumitsubo (ink pots) culminated in a unique methodology often defined as “Linealism.” This was not a simple adherence to geometric order, but an attempt to renew the logic of world-recognition through the sustained, meditative act of drawing lines.

The seemingly homogeneous and regular grids inherent in Inumaki’s work actually contain subtle fluctuations derived from bodily rhythms and the sedimentation of time. This accumulation of difference creates a departure from institutional regularity, transforming the canvas into a “field of thought” liberated from fixed structures. Within this space, the relationship between lines is constantly renewed, visualizing a space-time that is perpetually in a state of becoming.

In today’s digital era, where the clinical precision of the grid often dominates our visual experience, the irregular repetition and physicality demonstrated in Inumaki’s practice have acquired a more urgent significance. By presenting a selection of series that our gallery has featured over the years, this exhibition provides an opportunity to reconsider the depth of thought that lies at the far reaches of the ‘line.’