- ARC -

This exhibition is an installation that unfolds the vision behind the OAO®︎ 2026 AUTUMN / WINTER collection through space and material.

The setting is Sogetsu Kaikan, where Kenzo Tange’s architecture coexists with Isamu Noguchi’s stone garden, “Heaven.” Emerging within this space is a monumental fabric structure—distorted, yet self-supporting. Formed from a pliable material, its shape presses outward into the surrounding space, encompassing curves, inclinations, and tension while engaging the viewer’s physical perception.

From a distance, it appears as a monumental wall or an abstract sculpture. As one approaches, the fibers of the fabric, the tonal gradations and bleeding of the kakishibu dye, and its subtle fluctuations gradually come into view. Changing in hue with time and its surrounding environment, kakishibu dyeing possesses a naturally irregular texture. It inhabits the space not as a finished, static object, but as a presence in continual transformation. These qualities resonate with Sogetsu’s philosophy, which has long explored the relationship between nature and form, as well as with the context of Sogetsu Kaikan itself.

These forms and textures correspond with the curves and distortions inspired by the work of sculptor Richard Serra—the central reference for the 2026 AW collection—and carry through to the collection’s material expressions, including uneven dyeing, brushed finishes, and embossing. “ARC” is an attempt to reconsider the boundaries between material, nature, space, and the body by allowing elements of differing qualities to coexist within a single space.