6 best art exhibitions showing in Osaka right now

Born in Osaka, Yasumasa Morimura is one of the most compelling Japanese artists of our time. A conceptual photographer, filmmaker and visual artist, Morimura is best known for appropriating iconic Western paintings and classic imagery from history and popular culture. He inserts himself into these works as a form of self-portraiture through expert use of props, costumes, make-up and digital manipulation.

Since the debut of Portrait (Van Gogh) in 1985, Morimura has produced self-portraits based on works by renowned artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Velázquez, Johannes Vermeer and many more. While often cheeky, witty and even humorous, his meticulous recreations of some of the art world’s most recognisable masterpieces not only challenge our relationship with the originals but also highlight Japan’s fascination with Western culture.

Marking the 40th anniversary of his career, Morimura has organised this retrospective exhibition to showcase one work from each year between 1985 and 2024. Here, you can also explore a chronological timeline of his artistic journey, view four of his personal favourite pieces, and discover previously unreleased works for the first time.

After a series of high-profile exhibitions at Tokyo’s Ginza Six and Saitama’s Hyper Museum Hanno, Kenji Yanobe is bringing his signature cat-astronauts, known as Ship’s Cat, to Osaka.

Born in Osaka, Kenji Yanobe is known for his functional mechanical sculptures. Ship’s Cat, arguably his most popular work to date, is an ongoing series that began in 2017. These regal ‘catstronauts’ are imagined as guardian spirits for travellers. One edition, Ship’s Cat (Muse), now stands outside the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka as a permanent installation.

Held at MASK (Mega Art Storage Kitakagaya), a repurposed art warehouse formerly used for steel processing, this exhibition revolves around Luca, the solar tower-shaped spaceship first seen in the now-concluded Big Cat Bang exhibition at Ginza Six. It’s displayed alongside other sculptures from the Ship’s Cat series, as well as works by other artists from MASK’s collection.

The 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris was a landmark event in art history. It marked the launch of the Art Deco movement, one of the most influential design styles of the 20th century. For its centenary celebration in 2025, the Nakanoshima Museum of Art is hosting a special exhibition focused on the graphic art and design of the era, with a particular emphasis on its portrayal of women.

You can expect to see rare and exquisite Art Deco works from across Europe, especially France, including jewellery, perfume bottles, dresses and classic cars. The exhibition also features around 100 vintage posters that capture the glamorous image of the modern woman as envisioned a century ago.

Osaka-born Koide Narashige (1887–1931) was a pioneering figure in Western-style Japanese painting, and this comprehensive exhibition at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art marks his first major retrospective in 25 years.

A graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, Narashige produced a prolific body of work in oil painting, focusing primarily on still lifes and female nudes. It was his portrayals of the female nude, however, that earned him lasting acclaim. Particularly notable are the works produced during the final five years of his life, following his move to Ashiya in 1926. These paintings defined his signature style and celebrated the beauty of the female form.

One of the most prolific artists of our time, Yayoi Kusama has created a strikingly diverse body of work spanning painting, sculpture, performance art and fashion. Yet across all mediums, her art is consistently defined by themes of obsessive repetition and proliferation, expressions she has described as a form of ‘self-therapy’ born from her hallucinations.

What sets Kusama apart is her ability to continually reinvent these signature motifs in imaginative ways. Her work always feels fresh, even as it remains instantly recognisable. This thematic continuity is on display in the small but curated exhibition now showing at Espace Louis Vuitton Osaka until January 2026. Titled ‘Infinity – Selected Works From The Collection’, the showcase brings together pieces from her early career through to her most recent creations.

The clear highlight of the exhibition is the Infinity Room, which transforms her repetitive motifs into a physical, immersive experience. ‘Infinity Mirror Room – Phalli’s Field (or Floor Show)’ (1965/2013) is one of the earliest works in her widely celebrated ‘Infinity Mirror Room’ series.

Black Jack is a manga series by the legendary Osamu Tezuka, the creator behind some of Japan’s most iconic characters, including Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. First published in the 1970s, Black Jack follows the dramatic medical adventures of its enigmatic surgeon protagonist.

This exhibition at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum is the largest-ever showcase dedicated to Black Jack. On display are more than 500 original manuscripts, alongside issues of Weekly Shonen Champion (where the manga first appeared as a series), first-edition volumes published in the 1970s, and handwritten drafts from over 200 episodes. These rare materials are presented alongside archival documents that highlight Osamu Tezuka’s creativity and passion.