Last updated: 27 October 2026
Sho Shibuya is the Japanese artist in New York who paints the morning sky over the front page of The New York Times. Here you will find our take on his work, his London shows and his editions.
Our take on Sho Shibuya
Since April 2020 Shibuya has painted the colour of the sunrise from his window over each day’s front page of The New York Times, in acrylic on newsprint. The series is Sunrise from a Small Window, according to Unit London.
“It is a sunrise, and a sunrise always represents hope,” he told Phaidon. “I never try to control color and light.”
Unit in London has given him two solo shows. His newest edition, a 21-colour screen print of February 11, 2026, is in an edition of 25.
Sho Shibuya: the essentials
- Born in 1984; Japanese, and based in New York since 2011, according to Unit London.
- Trained as a graphic designer and founded the creative studio Placeholder.
- Paints in acrylic directly on the front page of The New York Times, one work a day.
- His sunrise paintings have been shown at the PODO Museum in Korea (2025 to 2026).
Sho Shibuya exhibitions
- Falling from the Sky, Unit, London, 20 August to 17 September 2025.
- Month, Unit, London, 25 July to 24 August 2023.
- No new show has been announced.
Where to buy a Sho Shibuya print
We found no UK seller. This is the edition we could confirm:
- February 11, 2026, $1,500: 21-colour screen print on Coventry Rag paper, 57.8 x 31.8 cm (22.75 x 12.5 in), edition of 25, published by Artspace and Monacelli, according to Phaidon.
Sho Shibuya FAQs
What does Sho Shibuya paint on?
The front page of The New York Times, in acrylic, one sunrise a day since April 2020.
Where is Sho Shibuya based?
New York, where he has lived since 2011.
Has Sho Shibuya shown in London?
Yes. Unit in London showed Month in 2023 and Falling from the Sky in 2025.
Can I buy a Sho Shibuya print?
His 2026 screen print February 11, 2026 is an edition of 25 at $1,500.
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- Best affordable art in the UK: where to start collecting prints and editions.
- Great Art Explained: James Payne’s guide to how famous works were made.
- Gifts for artists: our edit of presents for people who make things.
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Main image: Sho Shibuya, 230425, 2023. Courtesy Unit London. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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