Whitestone Gallery Karuizawa is pleased to present the solo exhibition of Taro Yakumo – “The World of Taro Yakumo”. Taro Yakumo has presented artworks themed around railways that run through the country before. He is known as “Kakitetsu” (enthusiastic painter of railways). In the previous solo exhibition “Karuizawa Colors” held at Karuizawa New Art Museum, he presented works dedicated to the local railways, which are deeply connected to the history of Karuizawa, and the exhibition drew a lot of attention. One year has passed, the work of Taro Yakumo has increased its humor and charm, for example, the three-dimensional works utilizing model railway, and works which on the surface have nothing to do with railway but are actually rooted in it. Besides, in the exhibition, documents and events in collaboration with Shinano Railway Company will be presented. The exhibition will be an excellent opportunity to transmit the charm of art to fans of railway, as well as the charm of railway to fans of art. We cordially invite you to come visit the exhibition. Taro Yakumo Lives and works in Tokyo. His father is an art dealer and his mother is an engraving artist. Yakumo started to learn oil painting in his childhood, and won a number of awards in painting competitions. Through travelling to various countries, Yakumo encountered contemporary art, and it led him to open his own art gallery, and later to become an artist himself. His passion for railway comes from his childhood, and it made him pursue the connection between railway and art. He suggested the new category “Kakitetsu”, based on his concept “railway is art”, and developed his way of creation through various expressions. Apart from exhibitions in galleries and department stores in Japan, his works are exhibited in the US and other countries in Asia as well. This is his second exhibition at Karuizawa New Art Museum since “Karuizawa Colors” in September 2018.