In a prewar Spanish-style concrete mansion in the center of Tokyo, a dim light illuminates sparse exhibits accompanied by enigmatic labels. Chairs are stacked as if forgotten, left unreturned to their places; amorphous sculptures occupy the bathroom; semitransparent plastic sheets hang along the walls. It’s as though the artist dissected his own works like a coroner attempting to determine the cause of death of art’s representation.
Understanding this art show does not come easy, nor should it.
This array of ghosts and shadows constitutes “Martin Margiela at Kudan House,” a long-awaited exhibition by the Belgian fashion designer who is probably most known for popularizing the Japanese-style tabi (split toe) shoes as high fashion in the West. Yet, it is surprisingly brief at just two weeks on display at Kudan House in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward until April 29.?
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