Kosuke Ajiro's First U.S. Solo Show 'Excavation Record I – Sayonara' Opens at GR Gallery

Japanese artist Kosuke Ajiro presents his first solo exhibition in the United States, "Excavation Record I – Sayonara," at GR gallery. The show centers on Ajiro's invented "Sally Mythology," a body of lore from the imagined "Kingdom of Sally." Its seventh chapter, Sayonara, is said to narrate the world's end through a cataclysm likened to Ragnarök in Norse mythology. Assuming the persona of an archaeologist and historian rather than an artwork's creator, Ajiro displays thirty artifacts described as recovered fragments of an ancient mural found near Tokyo Skytree. He restored these fragments onto canvas, depicting Sayonara's events. The exhibition traces the kingdom from ancient times to its medieval demise, with each piece revealing earthbound creatures and curious details before opening onto a fantastical expanse. Viewers are cast as fellow discoverers, invited to piece together fragments destined for a temple devoted to storytelling. The presentation moves between the familiar and the otherworldly, exploring mystery, magic, transformation, and discovery. The exhibition remains on display until October 24.