Posthumous Retrospective of Kimihito Okuyama's Lifelong Artistic Exploration of Time at Musée Roybet Fould

The Musée Roybet Fould in Courbevoie is presenting a posthumous retrospective exhibition titled 'Les œuvres du temps,' honoring the late artist Kimihito Okuyama, who passed away in 2024 after residing in Courbevoie for four decades. This comprehensive showcase, running from April 29 to November 1, 2026, brings together Okuyama's entire body of work for the first time, including paintings, prints, photographs, poems, and installations. The exhibition explores his central theme of time, not as fleeting moments but as enduring connections, structured around four concepts: Memory, Animism, Emptiness, and Linkage. Okuyama's art bridges Buddhist philosophy with Western sensibilities, drawing influences from haiku to Michelangelo. Born in Tokyo and trained in Paris starting in 1972, he was a self-taught painter who studied printmaking under the tradition of Stanley William Hayter. In 1983, he co-founded the atelier du Lierre with his partner, a space dedicated to teaching, publishing artist books, and poetry, and later established a bookstore in Paris. His career included editing haiku journals and contributing to children's collections for the Centre Pompidou. Notable works on display include his flower-clocks, which evoke the transience of memory, and 'Sans cesse 8h15,' a piece referencing the Hiroshima bombing, illustrating what he termed a 'silent eruption'—an internal, lasting impact. The exhibition highlights Okuyama's role as a cross-cultural artist who subtly influenced the art world. Admission is free, with the museum open from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM, located at 178 Boulevard Saint Denis in Courbevoie, accessible via the Pont de Levallois metro station.