Belgian artist Martin Margiela, widely known for his influential career in fashion, is presenting a solo exhibition of his artworks at Taka Ishii Gallery Kyoto from April 17 to May 16, 2026.

Held concurrently with his large-scale exhibition at Kudan House in Tokyo, the Kyoto presentation forms part of Margiela’s first full-scale introduction as an artist in Japan.

Black Nail Polish | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

The exhibition brings together 19 works created between 2018 and 2026. Since stepping away from fashion in 2009, Margiela has continuously expanded his practice beyond clothing, while maintaining a persistent focus on the human body.

The Body as a Site of Tension

At the core of Margiela’s work lies an ongoing investigation of the body—not as a fixed form, but as a site where visual and tactile systems converge.

His works reactivate the tension between exposure and concealment, revelation and protection—dynamics that have shaped representations of the body from classical sculpture to contemporary art.

Tops & Bottoms (Faun/Top)&(Faun/Bottom), 2023 | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

In the series Tops & Bottoms, fragments of marble sculptures from the Louvre are reconfigured through the forms of modern underwear. Garments designed to conceal instead become devices of exposure, creating a delicate tension between allure and estrangement.

Materials such as carpet and silicone introduce distinct textures, activating not only visual perception but also the viewer’s tactile imagination.

Reframing the Everyday

Margiela’s attention also extends to ordinary objects.

Echoing traditions of Surrealism and Pop Art, he recontextualizes familiar forms, allowing them to transcend their original function.

BARRIER Mural (white), 2024 | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

In Barrier Sculpture, a commonplace urban safety barrier is covered in synthetic fur. Stripped of its utilitarian role, the object becomes something uncanny—simultaneously inviting and disorienting.

Through such interventions, found objects are treated as readymades that reveal latent meanings, rather than simply existing as functional artifacts.

The Presence of Absence

A recurring motif in the exhibition is the idea of absence.

Kit (Black) | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Black Nail Polish presents kiln supports shaped like fingernails, yet the object they are meant to produce is conspicuously missing. Similarly, Kit (Black) resembles an unassembled model kit, prompting the viewer to imagine a form that does not yet exist.

Fragmentation and incompleteness, central to Margiela’s practice, do not signal deficiency. Instead, they function as generative spaces—openings through which new narratives and interpretations can emerge.

A Machiya as a Spatial Device

Equally significant is the venue itself.

Taka Ishii Gallery Kyoto is housed in a traditional machiya townhouse, approximately 150 years old, characterized by its elongated, narrow structure—often described in Japan as an “eel’s bed.”

Grey Steps II ,2023 | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Passing through the toriniwa corridor, visitors encounter a sequence of spaces that gradually unfold inward. A courtyard planted with Japanese maple and camellia trees introduces shifting light, sound, and seasonal atmosphere.

Rather than serving as a neutral backdrop, the architecture actively shapes the experience, mediating the relationship between artwork and viewer.

In Contrast to Tokyo

Compared to the immersive, large-scale presentation at Kudan House in Tokyo, the Kyoto exhibition operates on a more intimate scale.

BARRIER Sculpture (white), 2024 | photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

The low ceilings and compressed spatial rhythm of the machiya naturally bring the viewer closer to the works, heightening a sense of proximity. Themes of fragmentation and absence resonate differently here—more quietly, yet with intensified presence.

Margiela Across Two Spaces

Seen together, the exhibitions in Tokyo and Kyoto reveal the multiplicity of Margiela’s artistic language.

One emphasizes spatial immersion; the other foregrounds intimacy and distance.

Moving between these contexts, it becomes clear that his work is not merely visual, but experiential—engaging the body, perception, and memory in subtle yet profound ways.


photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE