Caught in a Spiral
exhibition of Nobuko Ueda

Amateras Foundation dedicates the autumn panel of Sofia Paper Art Fest 2024 to three important anniversaries in the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Japan – 115 years since the first official contacts, 85 years since the establishment and 65 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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On this occasion, SPAF 2024 presents five exhibitions of Japanese contemporary paper art within the 35th Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria. The first exhibition – “Caught in a Spiral” of Nobuko Ueda, opens on September 2 at the Mission Gallery of the State Institute for Culture. The State Institute for Culture of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a long-standing partner of the Amateras Foundation in cultural diplomacy with Japan. The exhibit will feature the award-winning artist for innovation in the 2020 Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art. The sculptor is a vibrant name in contemporary Japanese art. She draws inspiration from the ancient basketry technique, which is transformed into design-led exquisite sculptures that fascinate with their virtuosity and finesse.
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“Caught in a Spiral” is a complete work composed of many individual sculptures and reliefs that form a unified organism, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Japanese aesthetics, characterized by its minimalism and laconicism.
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The exhibition is on view until September 13 from Monday to Friday (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

The event will be opened by H.E. Mr. Michigami Hisashi, Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria, in the presence of the author Nobuko Ueda.
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Partners of the project are Ministry of Culture, Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria, and Sofia Municiality.

The exhibition is realized with the financial support of program “Visual Arts” of the Ministry of Culture, program “Creation ’23” of the National Culture Fund, and the Cultural Calendar of Sofia Municipality 2024.