Jonas Hödicke
11.09.2025 - 11.01.2026
Unfamiliar in the City
Jonas Hödicke presents his latest exhibition, which takes visitors on a fascinating journey between the worlds of Berlin and Japan. Known for his constant search for new forms of expression, the artist takes visitors on a journey of discovery that combines traditional Japanese elements with urban modernity.
Hödicke has been fascinated by Japan since childhood—its samurai swords, brave warriors, and colorful festivals, but also its mysterious geishas. Inspired by masterpieces such as those of the legendary Katsushika Hokusai, he creates a unique symbiosis between his artistic language and Japan’s cultural diversity.
“Fremd in der Stadt” (Stranger in the City) is a bold and unique exhibition that opens up a new perspective on Japanese martial arts and urban aesthetics in Berlin. Hödicke invites you to experience this extraordinary encounter—a fusion that breaks traditional boundaries and shows art in a completely new light.
The artist Jonas Hödicke: Born in the shadow of the Wall
Jonas Hödicke, son of Berlin painter Professor Karl Horst Hödicke, grew up in a city that was still divided by borders. The Wall not only shaped the cityscape, but also his view of the world. In interviews, he recalls that he never had much time for authority figures. Teachers, trainers, bosses—none of them lasted long, and he couldn’t stand them either. In the end, he had no choice but to go his own way, even though he resisted art for a long time.
He wanted to live his own life without constantly being compared to his father’s work. Nevertheless, art was a natural part of his environment – the studios, the smell of paint, the constant rustling of paper.
“I get bored so quickly,” he once said to his wife when discussing his restless nature and desire to try new things. This interplay of curiosity and impatience is reflected in his work: light and shadow, movement and stillness, Berlin between raw asphalt and poetic glimmer.
His childhood was not always easy—he rubbed people the wrong way, got into fights, and learned early on to stand his ground.
At the same time, he fell in love with the aesthetics and discipline of the samurai,
fascinated by the Japanese master Hokusai. These Far Eastern influences have flowed like quiet currents into his Berlin cityscapes – where urban energy meets the precision of ancient warriors.
The exhibition opens on September 10, 2025, at the Samurai Museum Berlin, where this dialogue between East and West, between street life and Japanese art tradition, will be on display.
For Jonas Hödicke, this is not a departure from Berlin, but an expansion of his perspective – and perhaps the clearest expression of his own signature style to date.
Text: Jennifer Hödicke
A collaboration between the Samurai Museum Berlin and Galerie Mond Fine Arts
Japanese Tea Ceremony
15.11.2025 | 14:00 - 16:00
This unique cultural experience takes place in the museum’s traditional tea house, offering guests the chance to immerse themselves in the serene, timeless ritual of Chanoyu, the Japanese tea gathering.
After a successful debut last year, this captivating series invites you to discover the profound artistry and philosophy behind the Japanese tea. Led by the esteemed Atsuko Sōto Isoyama-Osiander, a master of the Chado Urasenke School in Kyoto, this gathering offers an authentic journey into Japanese culture.
Atsuko dedicated 13 years to perfecting her craft in Kyoto and now shares her expertise as a tea master and consultant in Berlin. She firmly believes that “tea is the elixir of life.”
Cost: Museum ticket & Donation per person € 5 – 10
First-come-first-serve. Reservations not possible.
Kagura Elektro - Theater performance
28.11.2025 | 19:30
Okiku’s 10th Plate — One of Japan’s most famous ghost stories.
The Elektro Kagura collective combines dance, theater, digital projections, and electronic music to tell one of Japan’s most famous stories: the revenge of Okiku’s ghost.
A Shakespearean tragedy in which class struggle, revenge, and passion are intertwined, inspiring this version that blends traditional and pop culture.
Dancer Ryota Maeda, currently visiting Berlin, will accompany the group of dancers and musicians in a version specially revised for the Samurai Museum.