Kudan House © Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela at Kudan House
After withdrawing from fashion in 2008, the legendary designer Martin Margiela turned decisively toward a full-time art practice, pursuing themes that long simmered within his work on the runways of Maison Margiela.
At the first large-scale solo presentation of Margiela’s art in Japan, visitors can expect to see his enduring interest in negative space and the human body, famously explored through his white stitched labels and deconstructed silhouettes, now realized through painted, sculptural and spatial works. As an artist, Margiela is known for his use of unexpected and found materials, ranging from hair and silicone to architectural fragments.
In what is sure to be a compelling draw for fans of design, architecture and fashion history, Margiela will take over the entire historic residence of Kudan House, built in 1927, and will oversee the show’s scenography and curation himself.
Where: Kudan House
When: April 11-29
Left: René Magritte “The King’s Museum” (1966). Right: International Exhibition of Surrealism poster by Kurt Seligmann (1938)
Surrealism: Expanding From the Visual Arts to Advertising, Fashion, and Interior Design
A century after artist André Breton first coined the term “surrealism” in 1924, a special exhibition shines a spotlight on the movement that aimed to radically reimagine reality through art, and its lasting effect on contemporary visual culture.
Showcasing key works by René Magritte, Max Ernst and Salvador Dalí alongside influential photographs, advertisements and garments, the exhibition explores the dynamic collision of cultural and intellectual forces that propelled surrealism to the forefront of 20th-century art through pieces held within Japanese collections. Expect dreamlike imagery and the uncanny, with objects that unsettled the logic of the art world and reshaped how we interpret life to this day.
Where: Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
When: April 16-June 24
Left: Evening Dress and Stole, 1989, photo: Maki Ogawa. Right: Mori at “Hiyoshiya” (c. 1950s) photo: Ishii Konosuke. c/o Hanae Mori Office
Hanae Mori Vital Type: The 100th Anniversary of Birth
Marking the centenary of one of Japan’s most pioneering fashion designers, “Vital Type” presents a major retrospective of Hanae Mori (1926–2022).
Beginning her career in the film costume scene of the 1950s, Mori went on to charm the European fashion crowd, becoming the first Asian woman to be admitted to Paris’ Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Her prolific career spanned seven decades and will be brought together through 400 items, including garments, photographs and archival materials. This exhibition presents Mori’s refined fusion of Japanese textile sensibilities with Western couture and underscores her legacy in positioning Japanese design on the international stage.
Where: The National Art Center, Tokyo
When: April 15-July 6
© Hajime Sorayama, Courtesy of NANZUKA
Sorayama: Light, Reflection, Transparency -Tokyo-
Instantly recognizable for his lustrous “sexy robots,” Hajime Sorayama has spent more than four decades refining a hyper-real aesthetic that feels as futuristic as it does retro.
Arriving in Tokyo after a successful debut at Nanzuka Shanghai last year, this major retrospective traces Sorayama’s practice from his first robot painting in 1978 to recent large-scale sculptures and immersive installations. The title refers to what has become a career-long obsession for Sorayama — to capture the slick essence of glossy metals. “To depict light, it is necessary to depict air … the key is how to master the expression of reflection,” he notes.
With iconic pieces and original materials, the exhibition charts the evolution of an artist who made chrome a defining visual language.
Where: Creative Museum Tokyo
When: Until May 31
