Exhibition Announcement: MARTIN MARGIELA / Maebashi International Art Festival 2026 — Takasaki & Maebashi, Gunma
Organized by rin art association, with cooperation from Gallery NAO MASAKI, this exhibition presents the artistic (non-fashion) work of Martin Margiela across four venues in Takasaki and Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture. It reconstitutes the large-scale exhibition held in spring 2026 at Kudan House and Taka Ishii Gallery Kyoto — Japan's first major Margiela solo show — and the Maebashi-based venues are also part of the "Maebashi International Art Festival 2026" (theme: "Mebuku."), which runs concurrently.
The gallery describes Margiela's artistic practice as centered on obsession tied to the human body and mind, using close observation of overlooked everyday objects to reveal hidden essences — for example, objects covered in fake fur, stripped of their usual function and presented as new conceptual forms. Process and incompleteness are treated as central themes, echoing classical art, surrealism, and cubism, while Margiela's continued anonymity since leaving fashion underscores a recurring theme of absence/presence in his work.
Venues & dates
Venue 1: rin art association (5-24 Iwaoshi-cho, Takasaki, Gunma) — Sep 19–Dec 20, 2026, 10:00–18:00. Closed Wednesdays (open Sep 23, closed in lieu Sep 24; closed Oct 10–11 for the Maebashi Festival).
Venue 2: rin art association MAEBASHI, Maebashi Galleria Gallery 2 (5-9-1 Chiyoda-machi, Maebashi) — Sep 19–Oct 27, 2026, 10:00–18:00. Requires the Maebashi Festival 2026 passport ticket. Same closure schedule as above.
Venue 3: Shop rin art association (4-11-22 Chiyoda-machi, Maebashi) — Sep 19–Dec 20, 2026, 10:00–18:00. Free admission. Same closure schedule.
Festival main venue: Arts Maebashi (5-1-16 Chiyoda-machi, Maebashi) — Sep 19–Dec 20, 2026, 10:00–18:00. Requires the passport ticket. Closed Wednesdays (open Sep 23, closed in lieu Sep 24).
Tickets — Maebashi International Art Festival 2026 passport:
¥3,000 (general, tax incl.), ¥2,000 (student).
Organizer: rin art association.
Co-organizer: Maebashi International Art Festival 2026 Executive Committee.
Cooperation: Gallery NAO MASAKI, Taka Ishii Gallery, Bernier/Eliades Gallery.