Featured Articles
Toru Ishii announced as the 2026 Ronin | Globus Artist-in-Residence
Ronin Gallery and Globus Washitsu are pleased to announce contemporary Japanese textile artist Toru Ishii as the 2026 Ronin | Globus Artist-in-Residence. Ishii’s solo exhibition, Tokyo Landscape, will be on view at Ronin Gallery from July 8 through August 6, 2026. Created between 2022 and 2025, Ishii’s Tokyo Landscape series turns the historic language of itome yuzen toward contemporary Tokyo. Like ukiyo-e artists who recorded the “floating world” of Edo, Ishii uses traditional technique to mirror the visual density and social energy of his own time.
[Press Release] Expanding Horizons: Woodblock Prints from 1860 through 1912
Ronin Gallery celebrates its 50th anniversary with an exploration of five centuries of Japanese prints. From the first flowerings of ukiyo-e to today’s contemporary talents, they will consider the history of Japanese printmaking in five exhibitions. The third installment of this anniversary program, Expanding Horizons: Woodblock Prints from 1860 through 1912 explores an era of profound change for both the art form and Japan as a whole. As Edo’s “floating world” faded in the gas-light glow of modern Tokyo, woodblock print artists expanded their subjects, styles and materials to reflect the transition from feudal nation to modern empire. From foreign ships in the newly opened port of Yokohama to military battles fought on foreign shores, this exhibition considers the complexity and creativity of the late Edo Period (1603-1868) and Meiji Period (1868-1912) through artists such as Yoshitoshi, Kiyochika, Sadahide, and more.
Extending the Narrative: Mike Magers and Ukiyo-e
From dives off the coast near Toba to intimate views within the ateliers of artisans, Michael Magers imbues each of his photographs with a story.
A Closer Look: Yorimasa and the Nue
From vengeful spirits to mischievous monsters, ukiyo-e teem with supernatural beings and spine-chilling tales. With Halloween upon us, we turn to one such tale–the story of Yorimasa and the nue–as told by two masters of the fearsome and fantastic, Kuniyoshi and Yoshitoshi. The nue is a chimeral monster with the head of a monkey, the body of a badger (or tanuki), the legs of a tiger, and a hissing snake as a tail, depending on the source.
Katsukawa: Early Masters of Kabuki Portraiture
Ronin Gallery invites you to step into the theatrical world of 18th-century kabuki. Katsukawa: Early Masters of Kabuki Portraiture presents the brightest stars of the kabuki stage through the eyes of the artists of the Katsukawa School. Named for its founder, Shunsho Katsukawa, this artistic lineage redefined the field of actor prints (yakusha-e) in the late 18th century.
Q+A with Sarah Brayer
Sarah Brayer is an internationally acclaimed artist who works in print and paper mediums. This May, we took a moment to catch up with her about her recent solo exhibition Inner Light at Kyoto’s Komyo-in Temple, her Luminosity series, and her latest book project.
Spirit of the Stage: The Theatrical Prints of Kokei Tsuruya
In Spirit of the Stage: Kokei Tsuruya, we explore the career and artistic process of the woodblock print artist and modern master of actor portraiture, Kokei Tsuruya.
New Perspectives: Shin Hanga Beauties
Ronin Gallery invites you to consider modern “pictures of beautiful women” with fresh eyes. Featuring the work of renowned artists such as Goyo, Kotondo, and Shinsui, this exhibition looks beyond nostalgic appeal to explore these prints as vital reflections of their cultural context.
Iconic: Images of the Floating World
In celebration of the grand opening of our new gallery at Bryant Park Place, Ronin Gallery is pleased to present a carefully curated collection of Japanese woodblock prints in Iconic: Images of the Floating World. From Hokusai’s Great Wave to Kuniyoshi’s Skeleton Specter, this exhibition presents an unprecedented opportunity to experience some of the most influential designs of ukiyo-e together in a single exhibition.
Looking Back: Four Years of the Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program
Though our 2020 program was delayed, we're commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence program with a look back at four successful years and our four wonderfully talented past program winners.