Perspectives on Home in a Changing Japan

67 York Street Gallery is proud to present “NOMAD: Perspectives on Home in a Changing Japan,” a solo exhibition by renowned illustrator Molly Maine. This thought-provoking exhibition explores the concept of “home” within the context of contemporary Japan, juxtaposing the transient lives of digital nomads with the country’s deep-rooted traditions. 

Recently ranked the world’s fastest-growing remote working hub, Japan has introduced a digital nomad visa to attract remote workers and support local economies amid a declining, ageing population, more information here. At the same time, a new generation of Japanese people is moving beyond their hometowns, significant in a society where generational ties to place have long been central. For others, like evacuees from the Noto earthquake, leaving home is not a choice but a necessity.

A digital nomad for the past nine years, Maine brings a personal lens to the exhibition. The series of illustrations was developed following her 2024 artist residency in Kanazawa, during which she visited the earthquake-stricken Noto Peninsula. Her time in Japan, along with interviews conducted during the residency, directly informed the creation of the work, which draws inspiration from the stories she encountered.

Exhibition Highlights:

• Dates: July 4-13, 2025
• Location: 67 York Street Gallery, 67A York St, London W1H 1QB
• Admission: Free
• Private View: July 3, 6pm – 8:30pm (Invitation-only event, please RSVP to: molly@mollymainecreative.com 

On the exhibition artist Molly Maine has said, “As someone who’s lived nomadically for almost a decade, the idea of ‘home’ is something I’ve constantly questioned. This exhibition is a way of exploring that question through the lens of contemporary Japan, a place that continues to shape and inspire my artwork.”

Molly Maine is available for interview and comment, along with Ryo Osera, founder of Colive Fukuoka and co-sponsor of the exhibition. Ryo Osera can talk directly to the new digital nomad visa available in Japan, he is currently Executive Officer of the Japan Digital Nomad Association and founder of Colive Fukuoka having previously worked directly for the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. 

Artwork: The exhibition will feature 10 pieces of artwork available to purchase as signed, limited-edition prints. A special collaborative piece with Japanese artist Yu Yamaguchi, an evacuee from the Noto earthquake, will also be showcased. This unique artwork combines Maine’s design with Yamaguchi’s traditional lacquered tea container with gold leaf engraving.

Charity Partnership: A portion of the proceeds will support recovery efforts in Noto, Japan, through the Ishikawa Prefectural Community Chest (Red Feather, CCCJ). 

Following its London debut, the exhibition will travel to Japan, showing at lyf Tenjin in Fukuoka from 1–31 October 2025 as part of Colive Fukuoka, one of Asia’s leading digital nomad events, before being exhibited in Tokyo in November 2025.