The opaque door of the exhibition room slides open, silently revealing a ceramic goddess rising out of a reflective plinth. At her forehead, a lotus blossom, and below, the semblance of a hand grasping a flower as it curves upward.

This figure, ¡°The One Who Perceives the Sounds of the World Nuwa x Naga Maedaw, Shigaraki¡± by artist Soe Yu Nwe from Myanmar, is pottery with a purpose. It joins works from eight other Asian artists for ¡°Ambient, Environment, Circumstances ¡ª The Typography of Contemporary Art ¡ª,¡± the first contemporary art exhibition at Simose Art Museum in Otake, Hiroshima Prefecture.

In December 2024, the Shigeru Ban-designed museum attracted global attention when it was named the ¡°world¡¯s most beautiful museum¡± at the Prix Versailles by UNESCO. The current exhibition, which runs through July 21, celebrates the honor.