Portland Japanese Garden is a natural vehicle through which to explore Japanese art and design. Art exhibitions explore ideas and aesthetics integral to the fabric of life in Japan. Introducing a wide array of artists and art forms, these exhibitions reflect on ways we experience peace through connections to art, nature, and one another.

Art exhibitions at Portland Japanese Garden began with Diane Durston, Curator Emerita (former Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art and Education from 2007-2018). It launched with a series of four special exhibitions a year— one for each of the four seasons—that would reflect the intersection of art and nature and introduce the importance of seasonality in Japanese art and gardens. The exhibitions would celebrate work influenced by the aesthetics of Japan or created in response to the Garden itself.

Aki Nakanishi, Portland Japanese Garden’s current Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art, and Education explains, “Traditionally, the role of Japanese gardens is to offer a place of quiet contemplation detached from the noise of modern society. But at the same time, Japanese gardens have always embraced, if not strived for a sense of symbiosis created at the intersection of architecture, art, and nature, which demonstrates the balance that can be achieved when nature and human ingenuity converge.”

Now more than a decade later, Portland Japanese Garden has successfully introduced the work of more than 75 artists representing Japan and its unique artistic traditions. The works come from internationally known artists—some of whom have been recognized as Living National Treasures in Japan, as well as rising young artists and artisans from all parts of the country.

Current Exhibition

Woven Light: Washi Sculptures by Yuri Kinoshita

June 27, 2026 – September 14, 2026 | Garden Hours

Woven Light showcases the illuminated washi sculptures of Yuri Kinoshita, a Seattle-based artist who artfully crafts floating landscapes of light through her sculptural lamps that bridge the art and design world. Guests who visit the Calvin and Mayho Tanabe Gallery will see that through carefully hand-woven and sculpted washi (Japanese handmade paper made from plant fibers), soft light and shadow inspire a magical sense of place, evoking the unique environment of the Pacific Northwest. More than artwork, Kinoshita’s works are experiences that transport the viewer into a warm world of light through both works that evoke natural forms and abstracted shapes that inspire contemplation. 

Washi has been made in Japan for centuries. Its uses range from decoration for religious rites and ceremonies, to art and design purposes including calligraphy, woodblock printing, and origami. Kinoshita’s washi is sourced from artisans in Echizen in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, a region known for its long tradition of paper-making. The texture and shape of the paper is transformed depending on the type of washi used: the rough weave of bamboo fiber contrast with the soft, fine glow of kozo, washi created using mulberry bark. Kinoshita’s light-filled sculptures are paired with bases that often are formed from richly colored walnut wood of the Pacific Northwest, crafted by master woodworker Craig Yamamoto, nephew to iconic woodworker George Nakashima.  

Born in Kyoto to a third generation kimono making family, Kinoshita’s art and design practice led her to study and practice throughout Europe and Asia, before relocating her studio to Seattle in 2008. There, she was immediately captivated by the quality of light iconic to the Pacific Northwest, where the skies alternate between rolling cloud cover and sudden sunbursts. Her exquisitely woven washi lamps seek to bring this quality of light from the skies into interior spaces, offering not just a functional source of light but a sense of warmth, safety, and tranquility.  

Explore Previous Art Exhibitions