Nicolas Buffe : The return of Cupid / Solo Show at Megumi Ogita Gallery, Tokyo ニコラ・ビュフ：キューピッドの帰還 / メグミオギタギャラリー（東京）にての個展 February 21 – March 15, 2025 – ２０２５年２月２１日～３月１５日 – https://www.megumiogita.com/nb202502the-return-of-cupid – https://nicolasbuffe.com/ – Video Cinematography : Junya Handa, Mitsuaki Fujiwara Edit : Junya Handa Video Produced by 10G

Cupid’s Menace, Version 1: Double Heart-Ray-Guns / 2025, 65 x 35 x 51 cm, 3D print ABS, paint, metal frame, stand, Edition of 8

I’m delighted to be able to mount this new solo exhibition at the invitation of Megumi Ogita. It’s also an occasion with symbolic value. I’m fortunate enough to have held the first exhibition in this space in 2010, and to close the series by holding the last exhibition in the same space in February-March 2025, before the gallery moves.
I wanted the theme of this solo show to maintain a link with the previous one. This is quite common in my work, given the presence of certain recurring themes. The 2010 exhibition dealt with the theme of the Tower of Babel, through the filters of Japanese pop culture, Italian and French Renaissance culture, particularly decor and grotesque ornaments. Indeed, one of the main pop references used was the animated series “Babel
II” (1971, バビル2世 ) adapted from the manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.
On that occasion, I was glad to produce a soft-vinyl edition of the Poseidon robot with Shikaruna Kôbo. I had fun staging Poseidon facing a Kaiju from the 1967 collection “Sekai no Kaiju” (『世界の怪獣』) through a series of wall and panel drawings. One of the underlying themes was the epic battle of heroes against menacing creatures from beyond space, ready to destroy our world. It’s a theme that runs through a whole swathe of Japanese pop culture from the 1960s to the present day. This culture, which I’ve been immersed in since childhood, has had a profound influence on my work. I’m thinking of series like Nagai Go’s UFO Robot Grendizer, Neon Genesis Evangelion or Gurren Lagann. But this theme is also prevalent in Toei’s tokusatsu, such as Space Sheriff Gavan and the Metal Heroes series, the Sentai series, more discreet series like Spectreman, or seminal classics like Ultraman or Kamen Rider.
The Tokusatsu and Sentai theme has been reinforced through my collaboration since 2014 with Rainbow Zokei, for the realization of works such as “Super Polifilo’s armor” , costume fabrications for the artistic direction of the Mozart opera “Il Re Pastore” at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and several other projects. I would like to thank Mr. Yoshikawa for his continuous support.
This exhibition is therefore of particular importance to me. Mr. Ogita’s invitation gives me the opportunity to express myself fully and freely.
It’s also an opportunity to expand and strengthen my artistic universe even further. It also allows me to weave even more relevant links not only between my works, but also between the different cultures and historical periods that have influenced them.

Cupid’s Menace, Version 1: Double Heart-Ray-Guns / 2025, 65 x 35 x 51 cm, 3D print ABS, paint, metal frame, stand, Edition of 8

The return of Cupid: Robot Lion Ⅰ, 2025, 76 x 83 x 4 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Cupid, Cartouche with Wings I, 2025, 42 x 43 x 3.5 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Cupid, Cartouche with Wings II, 2025, 42 x 43 x 3.5 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

The return of Cupid: Robot Lion Ⅱ, 2025, 90 x 89 x 4 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Super Polifilo, The Hero’s Armor, 2025, 6,2 x 2,5 m, wall drawing, paint, chalk

The Hero’s Armor / Super Polifilo Version 1.2, 2025, 65 x 26 x 18 cm, 3D print ABS, paint, metal frame, stand, Edition of 8

The Hero’s Armor / Oval Medallion with Cupid, 2025, 59.5 x 39.5 x 3.5 cm, Wood panel, paint, varnish

The Hero’s Armor / Super Polifilo Version 1, 2014, 98 x 35 x 26 cm, FRP, lights, paint, metal stand

The Hero’s Armor / Super Polifilo Version 1.2, 2025, 65 x 26 x 18 cm, 3D print ABS, paint, metal frame, stand, Edition of 8

Toku Tango, 2025, 7,5 x 3 m, wall drawing, paint, chalk / Q Rangers Robo 1 & 2, 2025

Toku Tango, 2025, 7,5 x 3 m, wall drawing, paint, chalk

Q Rangers Robo 1, 2025, 86.5 x 46.5 x 5 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Q Rangers Robo 2, 2025, 86.5 x 46.5 x 5 cm, Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Neptunus (Poseidon) after Babel (3,2 x 2,7 m); Cupid (4,2 x 2,7 m), Fortuna (4 x 2,7 m), wall drawings, paint, chalk

Neptunus (Poseidon) (Blue AP 1/1, White AP 2/2, Red AP 1/1) / 2025 / 29 x 15 x 6.5 cm, soft vinyl, ink

Fortuna / 2025 / 4 x 2,7 m, wall drawing, paint, chalk

Fortuna / 2025 / 88.3 x 70 x 4.8 cm / Plywood, paint, oil based chalk, varnish

Cupid, grotesques w. mizutama hearts / 2025 / wall drawing, paint, chalk

Cupid. No one can escape / 2025 / Φ105 cm, Glass, paint

Cupid’s Menace, Version 1: Double Heart-Ray-Guns / 2025, 65 x 35 x 51 cm, 3D print ABS, paint, metal frame, stand, Edition of 8