Eugene Kangawa (born 1989, USA) is known for abstract painting and installations centered on themes of human existence, time, and history.
His exhibitions and projects include EUGENE STUDIO The New Sea/After the Rainbow (Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, 2021–22); de-sport: (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, 2020); 1/2 century later. (Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, 2017); and 89+ (Serpentine Galleries, London, 2014), among others.
With the international reach of his solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, a permanent museum devoted solely to the work of Eugene Kangawa—initiated by collectors across Asia and ASEAN and operated by a local organization—is now under construction near a UNESCO World Heritage site in Bali. (The Eugene Museum in Bali, situated on a one-hectare site, is scheduled to open in 2026.)
His short film has also been selected for—and received awards at—several international film festivals, including the Rhode Island International Film Festival, the Brooklyn Film Festival, and the Pan African Film Festival.
He currently works near Tokyo at Atelier iii—a lush studio designed and DIY-built by the artist and his team—together with a diverse, cross-disciplinary staff.
REFERENCES IN MEDIA & ACADEMIA
The New York Times International Weekly Edition (print) / The Japan Times weekly edition (print), 2025
“… Kangawa’s art and its spaces ask us to pause, consider the passage of time and the weight of our presence in it.”
“… With ‘After the Rainbow,’ his 2021 solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Kangawa reached a new milestone. At 32, he was the youngest artist ever to hold a solo exhibition at the museum. Exploring the possibilities of coexistence—between humanity and nature, the tangible and the imagined—the exhibition established Kangawa as a voice of piercing lucidity in a fragmented era.”
“… At Atelier iii (*Eugene’s Atelier), visitors encounter a spacious, meticulously curated mini museum showcasing several of the 35-year-old artist’s paintings, installations and sculptures. Beyond the public eye, workshop areas are tucked away behind walls, where his ongoing creative process quietly unfolds.” ...
