Dialogue Art 2026 (対話アート2026) will be held at three venues in Matsumoto, Nagano, from Sunday, November 8 to Sunday, November 22, 2026. The event is organized by NANAiRO (一般社団法人ナナイロ).
Background
According to survey data, 51.9% of people in Japan have never had any contact with people with disabilities. While diversity and inclusion are widely discussed, many people have no opportunity to encounter disability in the first place. NANAiRO sees this as the essential issue. With the mission of "creating points of contact between people with and without disabilities," NANAiRO has made the diverse gradations of society visible through art, media, and events. It believes that this accumulated effort creates a community atmosphere that is tolerant of diverse individuals.
"Dialogue Art" is an initiative that opens up not only the viewing of finished works but also the creative process itself. Artists and local residents spend time in dialogue, and visitors can see at the venues during the exhibition period how that process is reflected in the works.
Three Programs of Dialogue Art 2026
A.I.R (Artist in Residence)
Artists selected through an open call stay in Matsumoto to create works and hold workshops. New works emerge from their stay as they engage in repeated dialogue with local residents, including people with disabilities.
SIGNALS
Expressions using methods such as digital media and manga were invited through an open call, and the selected works will be exhibited.
IN HOSPITAL
Expressions by children aged 18 and under who have been hospitalized were invited through an open call, and the selected works will be exhibited.
The selected artists and works will be introduced at the kickoff event on the first day.
A.I.R Exhibition "How Do You Want to Be Seen? What Is Your Blue?"
The exhibition title in Japanese is どう見られたい？〜あなたの青は、なんですか？〜.
For people who are blind from birth, color is not something experienced visually but something understood through words and associations. The question "What is blue?" makes us think about how an experience that others cannot directly share can be conveyed.
The exhibition begins with "The World by Touch," a photo series documenting the daily lives of blind and low-vision children in Ethiopia. It then changes over time through workshops held in Matsumoto.
The changes that occur in the relationship between the person taking the photograph and the person being photographed are at the heart of this exhibition.
Creation at the Exhibition
The exhibition features participatory creation using photography, cyanotype, and pinhole cameras. Layering dialogue with participants and experiences gained in the streets of Matsumoto onto the works, the exhibition presents the process of its own transformation during the exhibition period as the work itself.
A pinhole camera can be made from familiar materials such as cans and boxes, and can be used without specialized knowledge. Unlike conventional photography, in which the photographer decides how to show the subject, this method is characterized by allowing the person being photographed to choose how they want to appear.
Guest Artist: Aleksandra Kossowska
Aleksandra Kossowska is a documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Warsaw, Poland. After studying archaeology and journalism, Kossowska earned a degree at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava, Czech Republic. Through long-term reporting, Kossowska has documented lives that are hard for society to see, such as people who have migrated or been displaced and people living with disabilities. In "THE WORLD BY TOUCH," which photographs a school for the blind in Ethiopia, Kossowska hand-perforates the photographic paper to create photographs that can be felt by touch.
Website: https://kossowska.com/
Instagram: @ka.olka
Recent Awards
- 2026: Winner, Story category, Global Peace Photo Award ("The World by Touch")
- 2026: Winner, The Alexia Portrait Mentor Grant
- 2026: Runner-up, EDU category, The Alexia Health Grant ("The World by Touch")
- 2026: Shortlisted, Student category, World Report Award, Festival della Fotografia Etica (Lodi, Italy)
- 2026: Special Prize, Unigeo Festival ("A Place to Hide")
- 2026: Named one of the "20 experimental photographers you should know in 2026" by Analog Forever Magazine
Kickoff Event
On the first day of the exhibition, an event will bring exhibitors and artists together. The selected artists and works will also be announced there.
Date and time: Sunday, November 8, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Venue: Matsumoto Art Center (マツモトアートセンター) 1F Atelier & Gallery (Kasahara Building (笠原ビル) 1F, 1-3-32 Ote, Matsumoto, Nagano)
Program: Announcement of works selected through the open call / artist talk / workshop / social gathering
What to bring: Something that is important to you (it will be used in the workshop)
Participation fee: Free
Registration: Register using the dedicated form
Please note that parking space is limited. Please use a nearby paid parking lot or public transportation.
Event Details
Name: Dialogue Art 2026 (対話アート2026)
Dates: Sunday, November 8 – Sunday, November 22, 2026
Admission: Free
Organizer: NANAiRO (一般社団法人ナナイロ)
Grants: Shinshu Arts Council (信州アーツカウンシル) / Culture City of East Asia 2026 Matsumoto (東アジア文化都市2026松本)
Website: https://taiwa-art.com
Exhibition Venues
- JR Matsumoto Station Free Passage (JR松本駅 自由通路) (open all day)
- 栞日 (7:00 AM – 8:00 PM, closed Wednesdays)
- Matsumoto Art Center (マツモトアートセンター) 1F/2F (1:00 PM – 6:00 PM, closed November 15)
Venues and opening hours may change. The situation at each venue takes priority.
Planned Workshops
- Matsumoto Art Center (マツモトアートセンター) 1F (Nov. 8, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM): open to the general public. Register here
- NPO ケ・セラ: not open to the general public.
- Social welfare corporation 信濃友愛会 四賀アイ・アイ: not open to the general public.
- Social welfare corporation 長野県知的障害者育成会ドリームワークス: not open to the general public.
Pamphlet
Pamphlet design: Kaoru Sato (DESIGN BOAT)
