Keita Morimoto Lingers in the Artificial Light of Urban Nights

Cities are constantly in flux, but Keita Morimoto (previously) invites us to linger in their transitions a little longer. The artist renders corner stores, vending machines, and lampposts that illuminate spaces that might otherwise go unnoticed. Either unoccupied or inhabited by just one or two people, Morimoto’s scenes are dimly lit but not eerie and invoke the environments most of us engage with for just a moment.

“The anonymous, liminal spaces in my paintings echo the feeling of never fully belonging,” Morimoto says in a statement. “I’m drawn to the way emotions can transform a familiar setting into something entirely different, revealing deeper truths about the human experience.”

vending machine lights illuminate a dark street — “Crossroad” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 130 x 3 centimeters

In a new body of work titled To Nowhere and Back, the artist continues his explorations into the interplay of light and shadow. Drawing on the sights of New York City and Tokyo, he considers how we find connection in a world that’s constantly changing. He shares:

My work reflects a lifetime of navigating conflict, loneliness, and the desire to escape within urban environments. When I moved from Osaka to Canada at 16, I experienced a profound sense of isolation, as though severed from everything familiar. Over time, some connections emerged, but it was always accompanied by subtle discomfort. Returning to Japan in 2021 brought a similar disorientation—moments when even my birthplace felt unfamiliar, as if reality itself had shifted.

Rather than translate streets he’s wandered down directly onto the canvas, Morimoto paints with a cinematic quality. This pulls the viewer from the familiar and makes even the most ordinary sidewalk appear intriguing. Zeroing in on light sources further supports this vision, and artificial bulbs become beacons amid scenes shrouded in darkness. The artist considers how these machines create “a robotic harmony in Japanese urban life” and paints them as characters in their own right.

To Nowhere and Back runs from March 14 to April 26 at Almine Rech in Tribeca. Find more from Morimoto on Instagram.

a payphone illuminates a dark street — “Last Call” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 116.7 x 91 x 2.8 centimeters

a corner store illuminates a dark street — “Evening Embers” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 130.3 x 3 centimeters

vending machine lights illuminate a dark street with two people in front of it and another in the foreground — “Forgotten Path” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 259 x 4 centimeters. Photo by Osamu Sakamoto

a vending machine illuminates a dark street — “Waiting Hour” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 116.7 x 91 x 2.8 centimeters

a person walks across a crosswalk illuminated by a streetlight — “No Destination” (2025), acrylic on panel, 27.3 x 22 x 2 centimeters

one person sits on a concrete wall while another stands nearby. both are illuminated by a deep orange light — “Evening Embers” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 130 x 3 centimeters

a woman on an illuminated stairwell — “Stairs to Nowhere” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 130 x 3 centimeters

an aerial painting of a town with a cat illuminated by a lamppost in the foreground — “The Way Back” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 162 x 194 x 3 centimeters

a person on their phone leans on a bike rack in front of a glowing sign — “Missed Calls” (2025), acrylic and oil on linen, 145.5 x 112 x 3 centimeters

a group of people sit on the sidewalk outside a bar lit by a glowing sign — “Gathering” (2025), acrylic on panel, 27.3 x 22 x 2 centimeters

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