MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE CENTER
July 3–5, 2026 

---

Atsuko Obata

小畑敦子

Atsuko Obata is a Japanese artist.
Her works have been exhibited extensively both in Japan and internationally.
Centering on motifs of cats and wildflowers, she has developed a distinctive artistic expression in which reality and imagination intersect.

---

 Endless Sky 

 どこまでも続く空 

Artist’s Statement

There is no country in the world without a sky.
It stretches endlessly above us—vast, high, and free.

Though separated by great distances, people share the same sky.
This work expresses a sense of connection that transcends borders, extending from Japan to the Republic of Malta.

 Flower Viewing 

 お花見 

Artist’s Statement

A fully grown cat sat alone in a stroller placed in front of a pet shop.

Beside it were the food bowls it had likely used for many years.
Seeing the scene, I imagined that although the cat had been deeply loved, circumstances had made it impossible for its owner to continue caring for it.

Two young girls visiting the pet shop were drawn to the cat, yet eventually walked away.
Later, when one of them returned home, she discovered that the cat from the stroller was there.
Her father, too, had been touched by the cat and decided to bring it home.

The cat was given the name “Tamanyan” and became a cherished member of the family.
This work celebrates the happiness and warmth of that new beginning beneath the cherry blossoms of spring.

---

Japan-Europe Palace Art Association Commentary

Atsuko Obata’s paintings are rooted in a keen observation of cats, wildflowers, and the natural world, while at the same time enriched by a distinctive imaginative vision.
The cats that inhabit her works possess a vivid sense of presence; their fur, expressions, and gestures reveal the artist’s attentive gaze and long-standing engagement with her subjects.

In Flower Viewing and Endless Sky, fragments of puzzle pieces appear within landscapes inhabited by cats. Integrated seamlessly into scenes shaped by seasonal light and atmosphere, these elements become part of the pictorial world itself.
Although such compositions do not exist in reality, they achieve a natural sense of harmony within the picture plane.
This convincing unity is supported by the artist’s careful observation and accomplished draftsmanship.

Obata’s work is also distinguished by a profound sensitivity to the changing seasons.
Flowers and skies are never mere backgrounds; they serve as essential elements that give form to the passage of time surrounding the cats.
Through her warm regard for living things and her ability to transform observation into compelling visual expression, everyday scenes unfold into richly suggestive narratives.
Within these works reside both an affection for the familiar world and the joy of creation, giving rise to a pictorial universe that is unmistakably her own.