Summary<\/p>\n
Martin Margiela is set to open his first large-scale exhibition in Japan at Kudan House, running from April 11 through 29
\nThe showcase gathers a gamut of collages, drawings, paintings, assemblages, sculptures and video, dispersed throughout the historic Tokyo residence<\/p>\n
Martin Margiela<\/a> has always been an artist at heart. After a sudden departure from his namesake label<\/a> in 2009, he turned \u2014 or returned, rather \u2014 to art as his main creative outlet: \u201cI needed a wider spectrum with total freedom in creative expression, and rediscovered my roots as a young boy in art school,\u201d he said<\/a> ahead of his debut exhibition<\/a> at Lafayette Anticipations in 2021, \u201cenjoying pure creation without boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n This spring, Margiela will unveil a new solo show at Kudan House in Tokyo. Running from April 11 through 19, the historic villa will be transformed into an intimate, immersive environment of the artist\u2019s own in his first large-scale exhibition in Japan.\n<\/p>\n The showcases features a mix of collage, painting, drawing, sculpture, assemblage and video peppered throughout the entirety of the space. Like his debut show, which could only be accessed via emergency exit, the upcoming exhibition puts the atmosphere and artwork into direct conversation with one another, evoking ideas of domesticity and, of course, privacy.\n<\/p>\n Throughout his tenure as a designer, Margiela renounced the industry\u2019s cult of celebrity, earning the \u201cinvisible man of fashion\u201d title. A similar attitude rings true for his art practice: by staying anonymous, he aims to direct attention away from the maker and towards the works, the alchemy of the hand-crafted. At Kudan House, Margiela\u2019s thematic touchstones \u2014 time, disappearance, aura, corporeality, visibility \u2014 take on a more subdued sensibility, spotlighting an artistic solitude that challenges how we approach transformation and perception, while keeping its air of mystery intact.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cI still have the same interests and obsessions as I did during my time in fashion, but the human body is no longer my sole medium of expression,\u201d he continued. \u201cI prefer to instill questions than to show answers.\u201d\n<\/p>\n