Uraraka Painting Festival is an art festival on the theme of “painting” held at a total of nine venues in the Yanesen area (ie the Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi neighborhoods of Taito-ku in Tokyo). This area flourished during the Edo Period as a district that was home to many temples; today the area is adjacent to Tokyo University of the Arts, making it a place where history and art intersect. To make the most of this characteristic, artworks were exhibited at locations that included Kannoji Temple, Jishoin Temple, and café/art space HAGISO, which is designed and run by a graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts’ Department of Architecture, making it an event where visitors can take a walk around the Yanesen area while they take in the attractions of pictorial expression. Each venue was staffed by a different young curator, including Rintaro Fuse,Yuki Ito, and Yuu Takagi,
who selected works based on their personal perspectives on painting. Participating artists were principally young artists such as Takuma Tsuzuki, Ayaka Nishihara, and Yukari Motoyama, as well as well-known painters like
Izumi Kato and Masato Kobayashi. Seven curators and eighteen participating artists explored the concept of painting in this trans-generational event.