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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