José Parlá: Home Away from Home at Pola Museum Annex, Ginza, Japan

Born in Miami, Florida in 1973, Parlá grew up surrounded by the diverse immigrant cultures of America, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. This environment influenced his understanding of urban life and art deeply, becoming a major inspiration for his work. Parlá’s work, characterized by unique calligraphy and layered paint textures, suggests memories and traces imprinted on a wall. At the same time, they are deeply imbued with his personal experiences. Dialogues with the cities and diversity of expression he encountered on travels around the world have particularly inspired his exploration of a personal visual language that spans different kinds of abstraction. His works poetically question notions of language and identity, as well as the very definition of place and space.
The exhibition, titled “Home Away from Home,” will be held jointly with KOTARO NUKAGA (Roppongi). Rather than being limited to a single “home,” each of Parlá’s works will be exhibited from the perspective of a constantly changing landscape formed from memory, movement, and connections with people.
POLA MUSEUM ANNEX will show a total of 18 works, including one new large-scale Tokyo-themed work, offering a comprehensive overview of Parlá’s work and a retracing of his roots, including works of Bizen ware pottery produced during a kiln residency and collaborative works created with Japanese artists and fashion designers.

20 June – 27 July 2025