As the third installment of the “SMBC ART HQ” series, the exhibition Lou Zhenggang – AWATA COLLECTION will be held at SMBC head Office, located on the 1st floor of the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation East Tower, from Tuesday, September 30 to Saturday, October 25, 2025.
SMBC ART HQ Part 3 Lou Zhenggang Exhibition – AWATA COLLECTION
Joint Organizer: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Group・Gallery L/AWATA COLLECTION
Supported by: Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan
Cooperation from: Simon de Pury (De Pury), Yasuhide Shimbata(Artizon Museum, Ishibashi Foundation), LZG Studio
Venue: Mitsui Sumitomo Bank East Tower 1F, Earth Garden
Address: 1-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo [Google Map]
Dates: Tuesday, September 30 – Saturday, October 25, 2025
Admission: Free of charge
Exhibition Overview
Building upon the success of Part 1—featuring the collection of Hiroshi Taguchi (Founder of MISUMI Group)—and Part 2—the Ohbayashi Collection curated by Tsuyoshi Ohbayashi (Chairman of Obayashi Corporation)—SMBC ART HQ is proud to present its third installment: “Lou Zhenggang Exhibition – AWATA COLLECTION.” This exhibition centers on the AWATA COLLECTION, an extraordinary body of works curated by Takaya Awata, President and CEO of Toridoll Holdings Corporation, and will be held at the Earth Garden on the first floor of the Mitsui Sumitomo Bank East Tower.
Originally from China, Lou Zhenggang has made Japan her home for over three decades. Throughout Asia, she is celebrated for her bold artistic vision and pioneering contributions to contemporary art. Though her works have been long embraced by prominent collectors and major auction houses such as China Guardian and Poly Auction, they have rarely been presented outside Asia—reflecting the artist’s deeply held intention to preserve the cultural resonance of her work.
In 2022, Takaya Awata encountered Lou Zhenggang’s art and began collecting her works. His deep admiration culminated in the opening of Gallery L in 2024—a private gallery in Hiroo, Tokyo, solely dedicated to her oeuvre. As the only institution in the world to showcase the full spectrum of Lou’s creative output, from avant-garde calligraphy to vibrant acrylic paintings, Gallery L remains a singular space of artistic immersion. Awata describes the profound allure of her art as “an infinite expansion of imagination that emanates from her creations.”
This exhibition, born of that vision, marks the first public unveiling of the AWATA COLLECTION. Approximately 15 works created between 2018 and 2025, including newly completed pieces, will be on display. It will be the largest and most comprehensive solo exhibition of Lou Zhenggang ever held in Japan. The featured works—precise in expression yet imbued with timeless grace—radiate a commanding presence that leaves a lasting impression on all who encounter them.
About SMBC ART HQ
At SMBC ART HQ, we believe in the transformative power of art—to reflect social realities, ignite imagination, and illuminate pathways toward a better future. By opening SMBC Group facilities to high-caliber exhibitions, we seek to foster meaningful cultural engagement and contribute to the cultivation of a more thoughtful, sustainable society.
AWATA COLLECTION
“At times, it gives me courage. At other times, comfort. Art offers a power beyond words.”
— Takaya Awata
Entrepreneur and art collector Takaya Awata speaks of how, at pivotal moments in his life, he has drawn deep insight and strength from art. In 2022, a chance encounter with the calligrapher and painter Lou Zhenggang marked a turning point. Spending time with the artist at her atelier in Izu sharing conversations and witnessing the environment in which her work is born became a decisive moment that led him to begin collecting her art in earnest.
Lou Zhenggang demonstrated exceptional talent in calligraphy and painting from an early age, receiving numerous accolades. In 1986, she relocated her base of activities to Japan and has since held 27 solo exhibitions and three traveling shows across China, Japan, and the
United States. Her oeuvre is rooted in rigorous self discipline, a deep exploration of materials, a unique aesthetic sensibility, and a rich foundation in the humanities. She has developed a variety of thematic series such as Life and Love, Sun and Moon in Harmony, Heart, Harmony, Vitality, and Nature. In recent years, she has opened up new frontiers of expression with her abstract painting series Untitled, created in her Izu studio.
In 2023, this Untitled series was featured in the exhibition "ABSTRACTION: The Genesis and Evolution of Abstract Painting Cézanne, Fauvism, Cubism and on to Today" at the Artizon Museum. Further recognition came in April 2024, when three of her folding screen works were shown in a special exhibition " Lou Zhenggang at Yakushiji—Enjoying the Mountains and Rivers " at The Tōindō at Yakushiji Temple (WORLD HERITAGE). Her unique artistry, which transcends the boundaries of calligraphy and painting, has earned acclaim both in Japan and internationally.
Throughout her career, Lou Zhenggang has remained unaffiliated with any particular art school or movement. With steadfast independence, she has continued to refine her art as a solitary figure. However, opportunities to engage with her work firsthand have been limited—until now.
In 2024, the opening of Gallery L in Hiroo, Tokyo, created the world’s only space dedicated to showcasing the AWATA COLLECTION—Takaya Awata’s personal collection of Lou Zhenggang’s works. From avant-garde calligraphic pieces to recent acrylic paintings, this gallery provides a rare opportunity to experience the full scope of Lou’s creative journey, offering visitors a profoundly immersive encounter with her art. Awata describes the greatest appeal of Lou’s work as “the limitless expanse of imagination.” “For an entrepreneur, the scale of your imagination determines the scale of your business. Standing in front of Lou’s work, I feel my imagination expanding without limit.” Much like how athletes engage in mental imagery training, Awata believes business also requires an inner drive and imaginative power to shape reality.
“The world is full of potential. Those who believe unwaveringly in the power of imagination are the ones who achieve success. Lou’s work gives me that power,” he says.
For Awata, the AWATA COLLECTION represents a deeply personal engagement with art, entirely separate from his business pursuits. The collection has received critical acclaim from leading figures in contemporary art. Yasuhiro Shinhata, curator at the Artizon Museum, remarked, “An overwhelming cascade of imagery—paint flows, splashes, drips, and bursts forth. Her brushwork and composition exude a distinct quality, unlike any abstract painting from either the West or Japan.”
Simon de Pury, world-renowned auctioneer and founder of de Pury, also offers high praise: “Her works can be appreciated both as exquisitely refined abstract paintings and as poetic tributes to the beauty of nature. Her unwavering pursuit of perfection, coupled with extraordinary technique, casts a spell not only on canvas but also on works rendered on paper.
We sincerely hope this exhibition will serve as a gateway to the world of Lou Zhenggang’s art, offering visitors not only a glimpse into her body of work but also an encounter with the profound spirituality that underlies it.
Comments from Simon de Pury
Lou Zhenggang’s works transcend visual aesthetics—they resonate with the soul as though
echoing through the corridors of time. Each piece bears within it a rare equilibrium of internal strength and profound beauty, guiding the viewer gently yet unmistakably into a realm of deep emotional perception.
In her art, I see the very best of contemporary expression. Yet what distinguishes her oeuvre is its singular sense of stillness and temporality. The quiet power of her brushwork, imbued with rhythmic intensity, possesses a musicality that feels akin to prayer.
I am convinced that Lou Zhenggang’s work is of enduring significance and deserves to be
rediscovered and embraced by the global art world.
Simon de Pury
Chairman, de Pury Auctioneers