Installation view of "Island with ONI" (2019) at WAITINGROOM. Courtesy of the artist and WAITINGROOM The group exhibition "Island with ONI" by six artists Daisuke Ohba, Kengo Kito, Shinya Imanishi, Saya Okubo, Kurumi Kotani and Naosuke Wada was held at Gallery WAITINGROOM, Tokyo. The exhibition was organized by Daisuke Oba and Kengo Kito, professors at Kyoto University of Art and Design, and was intended as a showcase for the students. Shinya Imanishi, Saya Okubo, Kurumi Kotani, and Naosuke Wada graduated from the university in different years, and this was the first time for them to show their works together. According to the artist, Daisuke Ohba, the environment for students was very bad seven years ago when he started teaching at the university. The connections and relationships between students and professors were tenuous, and there were not many students or graduates who exhibited their works in museums or commercial galleries. Installation view of "Island with ONI" (2019) at WAITINGROOM. Courtesy of the artist and WAITINGROOM Two years later, when Kengo Kito returned to the university from Berlin to teach with Ohba, they have tried to create opportunities for students and alumni together. As a result, the relationship between professors, students, and alumni has become stronger, and more opportunities have become available in the art scene. The group exhibition "Island with ONI" was also born out of the relationship between Saya Okubo, one of the participating artists, and graduates of Kyoto University of Art and Design. We understand each other and have a strong bond, which made the exhibition very fulfilling. In group exhibitions, there is often a mismatch between works due to lack of preparation. If the different works do not match each other, it is obvious that a group exhibition is a group exhibition. However, the "Island with Demons" exhibition looked almost like a solo exhibition because of the selected composition of works and artists. What the participating works have in common is that they concentrate on the flat surface of the canvas, which is an important characteristic of painting. The fact that this exhibition consisted of artists who focused on surface expression made it very attractive for audiences who wanted to enjoy "painting" in depth. Also, the origin of the group exhibition is very interesting, not only because of the relationship between the artists and the teachers, but also because of the relationship between the artists and the gallery. The Installation view of "Island with ONI" (2019) at WAITINGROOM Courtesy of the artist and WAITINGROOM The exhibition "Island with ONI" was held from September 21, 2019 to October 20, 2019. Although the exhibition has ended, it is hoped that the two professors and the four young artists will continue to collaborate and actively exhibit together. "Island with ONI" at WAITINGROOM DATES : September 21 (Sat) - October 20 (Sun), 2019 HOURS . Wed, Thu, Fri 12:00-19:00 Sun 12:00-17:00 12:00-17:00 Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays. Cooperation SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, KENJI TAKI GALLERY, rin art association, nca | nichido contemporary art The writer of this article: Jeongeun Jo Born in Korea and currently lives in Japan. One of the members of TRiCERA, she graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. She is also an artist herself.