Currently on display until late November, Japanese artist Yuki Asano’s first solo exhibition at Prague's obscure HIDDEN Gallery delves deep into memory's fragile and shifting nature. Part of HIDDEN Gallery's series highlighting Japanese artists, this elaborate presentation offers a thoughtful journey into Asano's nuanced creative vision, in which textured layers and hues evoke memories' fleeting qualities. "My work isn't so much about preserving a single, concrete memory," Asano mentioned in a recent meeting. "It's more about capturing that transitory feeling of something intangible, something that lingers just beyond grasp."

Originally from Hyogo, Japan, Asano earned her Bachelor's degree in Mixed Media at Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2007. Her inventive process is largely instinctive, often bypassing preliminary sketches in favor of spontaneous expressions that emerge on the canvas. Working with acrylic pigments, pastels, and blended media, she develops layers that, much like recollections, overlap and fade. "I paint to give form to what’s impossible to fully capture. Memories change shape, and my work allows them to drift freely, almost like clouds drifting in the sky," she explained. This approach results in pieces that invite viewers to reflect on their own memories, sparking emotional responses through Asano's muted hues and delicate forms. The artworks are personal yet universal, permitting each viewer to project their own experiences of remembrance and nostalgia. Asano commented, “When I look at these forms, I think of them as fragments—pieces that never quite make a whole. They’re all attempts to find the shape of something that’s gone.”



HIDDEN gallery's mission to illuminate emerging creative talent

Founded by Filip Kartousek, HIDDEN Gallery has become a distinctive presence in Prague's artistic landscape. Originating in adventurous venues, HIDDEN has evolved into a permanent gallery on Bořivojova Street, yet maintains its founding purpose: championing emerging, less recognized artists. "There's profound fulfillment in uncovering an artist hidden from the public eye," Kartousek observed. "Backing artists who haven't experienced their moment allows engagement with their works intuitively." Kartousek envisions HIDDEN as more than exhibitions; he views it as a pathway for artists to gain broader acknowledgment. Numerous artists, following exhibiting at HIDDEN, have rapidly transitioned to larger platforms, such as the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art. "It's affirming seeing these artists flourish and grow," Kartousek remarked. "Our efforts at HIDDEN Gallery help open doors, motivating pursuit of ambitious initiatives and exploration of new ideas." Kartousek's dedication to unearthing talent that may otherwise go undiscovered resonates with audiences. As he elaborated, "It's about bringing art back to its essence—expression and resonance, not conforming to trends."



From temporary venues to enduring influence

Kartousek's journey with HIDDEN Gallery began in experimental, nomadic spaces scattered across the Czech Republic, sometimes converting private areas into ephemeral art galleries. His early shows occurred in Zlín, Olomouc, and even his own flat in Prague, where each exhibition cultivated a unique ambiance encouraging immediate interaction with the works. "For me, these unconventional settings revealed an alternate aspect of the artists," he recalled. "The intimacy of those places brought out differing facets."

Reflecting on his eventful expedition, Kartousek remarked, "I aim to transport that air of revelation into our lasting showroom on Bořivojova Road. It's nevertheless with regards to displaying works that speak to you past the surface." With impending presentations, incorporating a demonstration by Yukako Manabe that blends dreams with visual expressions, Kartousek proceeds to push the confines of Prague’s expressions scene, encouraging onlookers to embrace craftsmanship as an individual, transformative experience.



For those keen on a journey through recollections and introspection, Yuki Asano’s presentation remains on appearance at HIDDEN Gallery, pledging an encounter that contacts the core of universal subjects through the point of profoundly individual visions. Memories from days long past floated through the mind as soft piano music drifted through hidden spaces, allowing the soul to wander to private places usually untouched. Eyes took in scenes never seen in reality, but felt deep within the heart all the same.