Ronin Gallery is thrilled to welcome Masahiko Minami (b. 1968) to New York City as the winner of the sixth annual Ronin Globus OnBeat Artist-in-Residence Program. Minami works with charcoal and graphite to create minimalist landscapes in dramatic contrast. As finely textured lines creep into bright channels of white space, gradients bloom from their dark edges. These landscapes flicker and blur, unfolding through the logic of memory - cascades of associations between light and shadow, the natural realm and human emotion. Rooted in our shared humanity, Minami’s landscapes embrace this ephemerality as evidence of life’s vibrance, possibility, and innate capacity for hope. As fleeting moments in a collective memory, his works offer a quiet refuge from the realities of daily life. In a world brimming with conflict, Minami hopes to “light a small lamp in the hearts” of viewers.

Born in Ibaraki, Japan, Masahiko Minami received his Master’s degree from Musashino Art University. Today, he lives and works in Tokyo, where he has enjoyed numerous solo exhibitions since 2008. In addition, he has presented his work in group shows in Tokyo and participated in international art fairs in Hong Kong, Korea, Norway and Tokyo. Our distinguished panel of judges chose Minami based on three criteria: artistic excellence, clarity of concept, and originality.