In his new solo exhibition at Sato Gallery, COEXISTENCE, Daijiro Hama continues his exploration of the recurring figure that emerges from his inner world. Once solitary, this figure now appears alongside other presences, entering a space of relationship and sharing. At the heart of this exhibition lies Hama’s conviction that coexistence is not the erasure of differences, but the possibility for opposing forms, appearances and ideas to stand side by side — fragile, complex, yet carrying a quiet hope.

Hama’s paintings stand out for their subtle interplay between movement and depth: fluid lines, delicate textures and compositions that are at once understated and powerful. His practice fits within what gallery director Julien Sato calls Shūru Realism — a Japanese surrealism where dreamlike imagery and mystical resonance meet contemporary expression.

An increasingly important part of his work is his use of Boro, the traditional Japanese patchwork of worn kimono fabric. Living part-time in Kyoto, Hama collects these fragments of cloth — sometimes centuries old, marked by wear, repair and the passage of time — and now uses them not only as a source of inspiration but as actual canvases for his paintings. More than a material, Boro embodies continuity and resilience: layered, mended and passed-down histories.

In dialogue with his painted figures, these textiles become silent companions, evoking the coexistence of past and present, visible and invisible. COEXISTENCE thus unfolds as a meditation on multiplicity — of figures, fabrics, times and identities — inviting viewers into a world where imagination and material memory converge.

Practical information
Sato Gallery — 58 rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
Exhibition: 16 October – 15 November
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am–7pm (closed Sunday and Monday)
Free entry, by reservation