Photo : © Ai Natori, courtesy Sato Gallery
Ai Natori Exhibition: UNDERCURRENT at Galerie Sato
Ai Natori's first solo exhibition at Galerie Sato: paintings and, for the first time, ceramics, where blue, faces, and hair become currents, waves, and landscapes.
Galerie Sato (Paris 3rd)
About
UNDERCURRENT | Ai Natori
For her first solo exhibition at Galerie Sato in Paris, Japanese artist Ai Natori presents UNDERCURRENT, a new body of work shaped by the invisible currents that circulate between people.
For years, blue has been at the heart of Ai Natori's work. When she speaks of it, she often returns to the ocean: a place where life begins, but also one deep enough to get lost in. Blue carries both these sensations at once, without resolving the contradiction.
In her paintings, faces emerge from the blue while hair flows across the canvas like water, becoming, by turns, waves, rivers, or imaginary landscapes.
The figures themselves have evolved. Initially imaginary and partly inspired by her younger sister, they have gradually detached from a single person. Through encounters and exchanges with those who view her work, Ai Natori has begun to perceive something of the viewer in these faces, and sometimes something of herself.
This movement between the inner and outer worlds is at the heart of UNDERCURRENT. Like a current flowing beneath the water's surface, thoughts and emotions can remain invisible while continuing to travel from one person to another.
The exhibition brings together works from the Blue and Blueness series and the darker universe of Night and wonderer. In this more introspective series, Ai Natori imagines thoughts carried by the waves of the internet, drifting in a silent night and traversing the darkness in search of a light.
With UNDERCURRENT, this movement also leaves the surface of the canvas. For the first time, Ai Natori introduces ceramics into the exhibition, extending into space figures that previously existed only in painting. Small enough to hold in the hand, the sculptures are arranged in relation to the paintings, following the Japanese idea of shakkei, or "borrowed scenery." The paintings become landscapes for the ceramic figures, and the figures, in turn, change our way of looking at the paintings.
Seen from another angle, a body can resemble a mountain. Hair can become water. A portrait can begin to look like a landscape.
Ai Natori's practice is built around this shifting relationship between the human figure, blue, and the worlds that surround them. Her work circulates between intimacy and distance, between the individual and the landscape, between what is seen and what remains beneath the surface.
Ai Natori was first presented in Paris by Galerie Sato during the Blooming of a Heritage exhibition in April 2025. UNDERCURRENT is her first solo exhibition at the gallery.
The night is not empty. One way or another, there is always a light.
Exhibition:
From October 21 to November 1, 2026, from 12 PM to 8 PM
Open daily
Free admission by reservation: https://sato.art/book-a-visit/
Opening Reception:
Tuesday October 20, from 5 PM to 9 PM
Open to all, no reservation required
Galerie Sato
58 rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
Our take on this event
Lose yourself in a hypnotic sea of blue where human faces blur into landscapes and memories. This immersive exhibition showcases delicate ceramics and captivating canvases that bridge the gap between our internal worlds and the connections we share. It is a quiet, contemplative escape for anyone looking to feel the pulse of unseen emotions.
The Galerie Sato presents UNDERCURRENT, a solo exhibition dedicated to Japanese artist Ai Natori, running from October 21 to November 1, 2026. This exhibition explores the unseen currents connecting individuals, featuring a collection of paintings dominated by shades of blue and, for the first time, ceramic sculptures. Through her work, Natori reflects on the relationship between human figures and imagined landscapes. The event is free of charge for all visitors. Please note that while the exhibition requires an online booking to secure your visit, the opening night on October 20 is open to the public without a reservation.
Galerie Sato hosts Ai Natori’s first solo exhibition in Paris, titled UNDERCURRENT. Drawing from her previous series such as Blue, Blueness, and the more introspective Night and wonderer, the artist examines the movement between internal and external worlds. A key feature of this exhibition is the introduction of ceramic works, which engage with the paintings through the Japanese concept of shakkei, or borrowed landscape. By placing these small sculptures alongside her canvases, Natori transforms portraits into landscapes, inviting viewers to explore the tension between what is visible and what remains beneath the surface.
The exhibition is open daily from Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, November 1, 2026, between 12:00 and 20:00. Entry is free, though booking a visit online is mandatory to receive access details. Alternatively, the public is invited to attend the opening event on Tuesday, October 20, from 17:00 to 21:00, which does not require a reservation. The gallery is located at 58, rue Charlot, 75003 Paris.
14°C
Weather forecast
Légère pluie
max +14 °Cmin +09 °C
