Rooted in the Cosmos brings together Korean artist Tae Hue (태허) and Japanese artist Moeko Maeda in a two-person exhibition at a gallery in Harajuku, Tokyo.

While Tae Hue creates from a serene perspective that contemplates the vastness of the cosmos, Moeko Maeda explores the cycle of life through prayer and a deep dialogue with nature. Although their artistic approaches differ, both artists share a profound connection to the invisible forces that surround us and a deep reverence for the Earth we inhabit.

The title, Rooted in the Cosmos, reflects the idea that we ourselves exist as an inseparable part of the universe. Within the works of Tae Hue and Moeko Maeda resides a quiet yet powerful energy—one that flows through the Earth, nature, and the cosmos beyond.

Through this exhibition, we hope visitors will rediscover that we, too, are living within the great cycle of nature and the universe.

Atsushi Fukuda’s Reflections on Tae Hue

From the Louvre to Tokyo: Rooted in the Cosmos

Paris, December 2017. The Louvre.

In a corner of a hall dedicated to emerging artists, I found myself unable to move away from one particular work. It was by Tae Hue, an artist from South Korea.

I approached her and tried to speak to her. But she spoke only Korean, and although I did everything I could to communicate through gestures, we were unable to understand each other. We agreed that on the final day, we would find an interpreter and finally have a proper conversation.

On that final day, Tae Hue was named the exhibition’s best artist. Her talent had been unmistakable to everyone in the venue, and an award ceremony was scheduled to take place later that day.

Then, a small fire broke out at the venue.

In the confusion, we lost sight of one another. With no way to contact each other, we were forced to part without ever having that conversation. All I was left with was the memory of her name and her work. For several years afterward, we had no contact at all.

Honestly, I thought I would never see her again.

Then, unexpectedly, Yang, a Korean entrepreneur whose business I had invested in, managed to find her. The connection that had begun at the Louvre was restored in a way I could never have imagined. Human encounters and the paths they create are truly mysterious.

After presenting her work in several exhibitions in Los Angeles, we are now finally able to introduce Tae Hue’s art in Japan for the first time.

Tae Hue herself will also be coming to Japan for the exhibition.

Viewed up close, her paintings are composed of an almost overwhelming number of meticulously placed dots. Yet as you take one step back, and then another, each dot begins to transform—into life, into a landscape, into the Earth, and ultimately into the cosmos.

Simply by changing your distance from the same painting, its presence shifts from the microscopic to the macroscopic, from the inner self to the universe. At times, it feels as though you are lying in a field, sensing the heartbeat of the Earth beneath you. At others, it feels as though you are looking down upon our planet from outer space.

The extraordinary depth of her work becomes easier to understand when you learn about the process behind it.

Before beginning to paint, Tae Hue meditates for five to eight hours. She then spends more than ten additional hours placing countless dots onto the canvas. She repeats this process almost every day for approximately three months.

That is how much time, devotion, and prayer are held within a single painting.

We live in an age when almost any work of art can be instantly “consumed” through a smartphone screen. But Tae Hue’s work cannot truly be understood through a screen. Its essence only begins to emerge when you stand before it, change your physical distance from it, and experience it with your entire body.

This is not art that is merely meant to be seen.

It is art that must be experienced.

At the Louvre, Tae Hue and I were unable to speak to one another. This time, in Tokyo, I hope we can finally stand together in front of her work and have the conversation we were unable to have that day.

I believe this exhibition will offer us a quiet moment to remember the connections we may have begun to forget—our connection to life, to nature, and to the cosmos.

I sincerely hope you will come and experience it for yourself.

Atsushi Fukuda’s Reflections on Moeko Maeda

Every one of Moeko Maeda’s works begins with a single word.

She first writes onto the wooden panel a word that arises from deep within herself. She then reflects on its meaning, allowing new thoughts and emotions to unfold around it, surrounding the original word with layer upon layer of written expressions. Over these words, she applies colors inspired by the chakras, followed by repeated layers of salt water. As time passes, salt crystals slowly grow across the surface.

The finished work holds the energy of language, the circulation of color, and the purifying power of salt.

For Maeda, salt is far more than a material.

As a child, she suffered from severe atopic dermatitis. Living near the ocean brought her unexpected relief. Years later, while studying in Canada, the condition returned with such intensity that she could barely open her eyes. Following her mother’s advice, she began taking salt baths every day, and little by little, her body recovered.

Salt had saved her.

Her gratitude for—and deep love of—salt became the foundation of her artistic practice.

Throughout history, salt has symbolized purification across many cultures. Using this ancient material, Maeda seeks to give visible form to invisible energy and the continuous cycle of life.

Countless crystals live upon the surface of each work. As light changes, they shimmer and transform, revealing ever-changing expressions. It is a beauty that simply cannot be captured in a photograph. The texture of the salt, the sparkle of each crystal—these are qualities that can only be discovered in the presence of the original work.

Her works do not reach their conclusion the moment they are completed.

Born from words, colors, salt, and the forces of nature, they continue to breathe quietly within the spaces they inhabit. They are not merely objects to be viewed; they become living presences that bring new energy into their surroundings.

Stand before one of her works. Move closer, then step back. Watch as the light dances across the crystals, and experience their quiet presence with your own eyes.

Rooted in the Cosmos

Exhibition Dates

July 18 (Sat) – August 9 (Sun), 2026

Weekdays: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Weekends & Public Holidays: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Closed on Tuesdays.

Reception Party

Friday, July 17, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Advance registration required.
Please send an email to info@spdy.jp with your name and the words “Reception RSVP” to reserve your place.

Artists

Tae Hue (태허)
Moeko Maeda

Venue

Creative Space Akademeia 21 Harajuku
1F/2F Arbore Jingumae
5-27-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan

https://creativespace.akademeia21.ac.jp/access/

Tae Hue (태허)

Tae Hue is a South Korean artist whose creative practice begins with extended periods of meditation, allowing her to enter a deeply focused and contemplative state before painting. Each work requires several months to complete, built through daily meditation and the meticulous placement of countless dots.

Her paintings quietly explore the relationship between the cosmos and life itself. From a distance, they evoke the grandeur of the Earth viewed from space; up close, they reveal an intricate accumulation of countless particles, gestures, and time. Moving between the inner world of the self and a cosmic perspective, her work invites viewers into a profound experience of stillness and contemplation.

Moeko Maeda

Moeko Maeda creates her works through prayer and an ongoing dialogue with nature. Using natural materials—most notably salt—she embraces the transformative processes of the natural world as an essential part of her artistic practice.

Her quiet, organic works gently slow the viewer’s breath and heighten awareness of the rhythms of life and nature. Throughout her practice runs a deep sensitivity to the inherent power of materials and to the invisible energies that connect all living things.