Virgil Abloh, the man behind the streetwear brand OFF-WHITE c/o VIRGIL ABLOH™, will be holding a solo exhibition entitled “PAY PER VIEW” at Kaikai Kiki Gallery in Hiroo, Tokyo from March 16th to April 1st.
Virgil Abloh "a mere image" 2018 Screen print on chrome
Abloh, who wears a wide range of hats as an artist, fashion designer, engineer, and creative producer, has garnered attention and acclaim across a wide range of fields, including his furniture collection at Design Miami in 2016, his wildly popular "Virgil Abloh x Nike" sneaker collaboration with Nike, and his collaborative exhibition with Takashi Murakami at Gagosian Gallery London, which opened in February of this year.
While previously expressing his views through various media, including fashion and music, in this solo exhibition he expresses them through "art." The exhibition, based on the theme "Pay Per View," explores how consumer society, advertising, and media influence how we perceive the world. The exhibition captivates viewers through visual communication, based on the placement of brand logos prominent in 1990s advertising. The works on display offer a contemporary art experience that challenges visitors to question whether they are essentially shaped by their consumption practices, going beyond what is visible today. The works aim to construct emotion through a design experience that embodies the myriad messages coexisting within a single object. This reflects an experience that profoundly influenced his approach to design. When Abloh was earning his degree as an architectural engineer, he encountered works by Caravaggio and Bernini that could be considered visual advertisements, and at the time, he developed a strong desire to unravel and analyze the messages these works were trying to convey to him.
The works use various objects as vessels, demonstrating how, as artworks, they act as catalysts for deciphering the algorithms upon which modern advertising is based. The aim is for each viewer to understand the message differently depending on their own life experiences, eliciting a deeper understanding and emotion than the meaning behind the creative work.
In addition, a conversation between Virgil Abloh and Takashi Murakami will be held on March 17th. Why not experience Abloh's thrilling worldview up close?
Virgil Abloh "a mere image" 2018 Screen print on chromeAbloh, who wears a wide range of hats as an artist, fashion designer, engineer, and creative producer, has garnered attention and acclaim across a wide range of fields, including his furniture collection at Design Miami in 2016, his wildly popular "Virgil Abloh x Nike" sneaker collaboration with Nike, and his collaborative exhibition with Takashi Murakami at Gagosian Gallery London, which opened in February of this year.
While previously expressing his views through various media, including fashion and music, in this solo exhibition he expresses them through "art." The exhibition, based on the theme "Pay Per View," explores how consumer society, advertising, and media influence how we perceive the world. The exhibition captivates viewers through visual communication, based on the placement of brand logos prominent in 1990s advertising. The works on display offer a contemporary art experience that challenges visitors to question whether they are essentially shaped by their consumption practices, going beyond what is visible today. The works aim to construct emotion through a design experience that embodies the myriad messages coexisting within a single object. This reflects an experience that profoundly influenced his approach to design. When Abloh was earning his degree as an architectural engineer, he encountered works by Caravaggio and Bernini that could be considered visual advertisements, and at the time, he developed a strong desire to unravel and analyze the messages these works were trying to convey to him.
The works use various objects as vessels, demonstrating how, as artworks, they act as catalysts for deciphering the algorithms upon which modern advertising is based. The aim is for each viewer to understand the message differently depending on their own life experiences, eliciting a deeper understanding and emotion than the meaning behind the creative work.
In addition, a conversation between Virgil Abloh and Takashi Murakami will be held on March 17th. Why not experience Abloh's thrilling worldview up close?
【Event Information】
VIRGIL ABLOH “PAY PER VIEW”
Dates: March 16th - April 1st
Venue: Kaikai Kiki Gallery
Address: Motoazabu Crest Building B1, 2-3-30 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays *Open on Sundays only on the final day, April 1st
VIRGIL ABLOH “PAY PER VIEW”
Dates: March 16th - April 1st
Venue: Kaikai Kiki Gallery
Address: Motoazabu Crest Building B1, 2-3-30 Motoazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays *Open on Sundays only on the final day, April 1st
