Verena von Lichtenberg and her exhibition in Japan - 2019

The Works of Verena von Lichtenberg at the Kagawa Museum – Japan 2019

In 2019, the works of Verena von Lichtenberg were presented at the Kagawa Museum in Takamatsu, on the island of Shikoku, Japan.

The Kagawa Museum is a major cultural institution of Kagawa Prefecture, bringing together the functions of an art museum, a historical museum, and a museum of regional heritage. Located in close proximity to Takamatsu Castle and facing the Seto Inland Sea, the museum occupies a central position within the cultural landscape of the region. Its curatorial approach is characterized by a dialogue between traditional Japanese heritage, modern artistic practices, and international contemporary creation.

Within this context, the presentation of Verena von Lichtenberg’s work established a particularly meaningful resonance. The museum’s attention to material sensitivity, spatial perception, and the relationship between nature, memory, and constructed space echoes many of the core concerns present in the artist’s pictorial research.

Following her exhibitions in Tokyo and the development of the Nord Licht, Lumière Australe, and Asian Lights cycles, the exhibition at the Kagawa Museum marked a further step in the consolidation of her presence in Japan. Her work, structured around layers of light, subtle chromatic vibrations, and the construction of inner landscapes, found a natural dialogue with Japanese aesthetic principles such as restraint, emptiness, and the poetic perception of space.

The encounter between Verena von Lichtenberg’s visual language and the museum environment highlighted a shared sensitivity to silence, rhythm, and spatial breathing. The works were perceived not as static images, but as surfaces in transformation, where light becomes a temporal and mental experience.

This exhibition thus reinforced the continuity of her artistic dialogue with Japan and confirmed the recognition of her work within institutions that value both contemporary experimentation and contemplative depth.

The Painter Verena von Lichtenberg is in Japan in the Museum Takamatsu

January 1 – February 28, 2015

The museum is composed of several levels and offers a diverse cultural program. It hosts temporary exhibitions as well as a permanent painting collection. It also features ceramics and an extensive collection of masks from five continents.

One section of the museum is dedicated to collections and techniques tracing the history of photography. Visitors can discover representations of paintings, engravings, as well as instruments and artistic machines, from the origins of photography to its contemporary developments.

Within this rich and multidisciplinary museum context, the works of Verena von Lichtenberg, notably the Nord Licht series presented in 2015, find a particular resonance. Her exploration of light, pictorial layering, and spatial perception enters into dialogue with the museum’s approach, which connects the memory of images, the history of techniques, and contemporary creation.

The opening reception of the exhibition in Takamatsu took place on January 2 at 3 p.m., with television crews present from 2 p.m.

Among the distinguished guests were the Prefect, the Member of Parliament, and the exhibition’s patron. During the reception, a representative from Art Communication was also welcomed. The event was covered by several radio and television reports in both Japan and France. The Japanese government also sent a letter of encouragement supporting the continuation of Franco-Japanese cultural exchanges.

 The Painter Verena von Lichtenberg is in the Sétouti Museum Ha-Art in Takamatsu