Since 20th October 2026, the Santa Clara Space hosts KINPAKU, an exhibition of Japanese screens and fans decorated with gold leaf. It will be open until 10th January 2027.
The Seville City Council has presented the exhibition KINPAKU. Nature, Power and Imagination in Japanese Art, which spans four centuries of artistic creation based on kinpaku, the Japanese gold leaf. The exhibition will be on display from 20th October 2026 to 10th January 2027.
The presentation was led by the delegate for Tourism and Culture, Angie Moreno, and the curators, Professor Hiroyuki Kano, an expert in Edo period painting and former director of the Kyoto National Museum, and Japanese art expert Daniel Sastre de la Vega. According to the curators, gold is the true protagonist: it captures and reflects light, changing how both the artworks and the room that houses them are perceived.
On the golden backgrounds, there are pines, cranes, flowers, birds, snowy landscapes, and scenes from Japanese daily life and literature. The collection focuses on byōbu, the traditional screens, which were used to delineate spaces and accompanied births, weddings, banquets, and funeral rituals. Some were also diplomatic gifts among Japanese elites.
The selection combines large screens designed to transform a room with smaller ones for intimate spaces. Among their motifs are bamboo forests, peonies, insect cages, and scenes from The Tale of Genji. Completing the exhibition are sixteen fans featuring figures from Japanese mythology and literature.
The exhibition pays special attention to the Momoyama period, between 1573 and 1615, and the Edo period, between 1615 and 1868, when the large golden screens were consolidated. The Kanō school and its most prominent figure, Kanō Eitoku, are key to understanding this development.
“Initiatives like KINPAKU demonstrate that Seville is, and wants to remain, a city of living culture,” stated Angie Moreno.
The official opening will be on Tuesday 20th October at 19:30, with the curators and a representative from the Embassy of Japan. On Wednesday 21st October, at 11:00, Hiroyuki Kano will offer a guided tour open to the public.
On Tuesday 27th October, at 17:00, the Japanese ambassador to Spain, Hiroshi Yamauchi, will participate in a conference on kintsugi and the use of gold in Japanese art. Between October and December, the Santa Clara Space will also host a series of free conferences on Wednesdays at 17:00.
The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 20:00, on Sundays and holidays, from 10:00 to 14:00, and is closed on Mondays. Entry is free until full capacity is reached.
You may also like
