"BETTER THAN BEFORE BREAKING," a collaborative exhibition by fashion brand MAISON EUREKA and artist Sasaki Ryohei, is being held until July 10th at the gallery space "ART UP" on the second floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building.




This collaborative project was born from a chance encounter between Fukuoka-based artist Sasaki Ryohei and Maison Eureka designer Nakatsu Yurika, who is currently attracting a lot of attention in the fashion industry.

The exhibition, titled "BETTER THAN BEFORE BREAKING," was inspired by "kintsugi," a technique for repairing broken pottery, and is filled with the uniquely Japanese culture of creating something even better by reconstructing something broken, as well as the hopes and aspirations for the recovery and improvement of everyday life that has been disrupted by the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

The venue will sell collaborative T-shirts and sneakers inspired by each other's work, and will also display and sell Sasaki's art works and postcards.

Profile

Born in 1985, Ryohei Sasaki is a native of Fukuoka Prefecture. He began working as a live painter in Fukuoka in 2007. His distinctive hand-drawn works, resembling prints, feature motifs of everyday natural objects like stones, rocks, and water. In 2013, he won the GEISAI Award from kaikaikiki at the LIVEPAINTING DOJO event. Since then, he has expanded his horizons, holding solo exhibitions in Tokyo and providing fashion design services for magazines like "THE DAY" and "BEAMS Harajuku." Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1984. After working as a select shop buyer and shoe designer, she visited Germany in 2011 and discovered Berlin's unique underground and creative culture and lifestyle. After moving to Berlin in 2013, she launched her own brand, MAISON EUREKA, in 2014, where she continues to this day.

Interview

A fateful collaboration made possible by a connection between friends of friends

--First of all, how did the two of you meet?


[Nakatsu] We had a mutual friend, and it was through that friend that we met. When I was living in London a long time ago, a friend of mine's husband was originally from Fukuoka Prefecture, just like me. And Sasaki-san is also from Fukuoka, and that friend's husband happened to be a friend of Sasaki-san's, and he brought her to my exhibition.

[Sasaki] I had heard through a friend that Yurika-san was originally from Fukuoka and that she made clothes, but I went to the exhibition without any information about the kind of clothes she made. When I actually went, I was surprised by how impressive the exhibit was (laughs). When we met, I told her I was an artist, but I wasn't able to show her any specific work. Yurika arranged a second meeting, where I showed her my work, which I'd compiled into a zine (self-published work).

[Nakatsu] Mr. Sasaki draws his works using glass pens, and from my perspective, he can do anything. He has a great sense of style, and can create any style to a certain extent. But because he's so dexterous, he can do anything, and it seems like he creates his work by trial and error, incorporating his own style into it.


--How did the production process for this collaboration go?


[Nakatsu] I asked him to create textiles and patterns, and also told him that I liked the touch of illustrations drawn with a glass pen, like the ones in the zine he showed me previously. We discussed the specific pattern we wanted via LINE, phone, and Slack. Sasaki was able to capture my favorite style in his own way, and then delved further into it to create a design pattern. We had quite a few meetings.

[Sasaki] At first, I proposed a pattern I had drawn myself using a glass pen and ink. I also personally gathered various information and added some inspiration from that. One of the pieces that Yurika-san captured was a collage of things I'd found through my own research. Things progressed pretty smoothly from there.

The pleasant stimulation we share with each other leads to our next creations and ideas.

--I heard you felt something new through this collaboration.


[Nakatsu] The communication is quite difficult, but it's even more fun to think together, and it would be great if it had a positive impact on both of our creative processes. This experience is both educational and broadening, and there are many other benefits. We became friends through our work, and we even went to an oden restaurant together (laughs). From there, a friend of Sasaki-san's knew my brand, and we connected with that friend. That friend was originally based in Tokyo and worked in the fashion industry, and we had mutual friends there. We have many other connections, but it's a really strange bond (laughs).

[Sasaki] Perhaps this exhibition will lead to new connections.

[Nakatsu] That's true. It really does feel like we were meant to meet.

The exhibition is filled with our two favorite things, including iconic tile motifs.

--What is the unique appeal of this exhibition?


[Sasaki] The theme was "BETTER THAN BEFORE BREAKING." It all started with the fact that Yurika and I both have an interest in objects. Things break, right? For example, if you drop a piece of pottery, it will break. But in Japan, we have a culture of repairing such things, called "kintsugi." Rather than throwing away broken objects, we can reconstruct them by modifying them, and we end up feeling even more attached to them than before. I think that feeling is wonderful. I've been doing restoration work myself for a while now, and I've been thinking about this even before I was approached about this exhibition, but we're in a difficult situation right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our everyday lives have been disrupted, but I hope that when things return to normal, the world will be a better place. I hope to be able to convey that message through this exhibition.

MAISON EUREKA x RYOHEI SASAKI Sneakers ¥31,900
[Nakatsu] I discussed this with Mr. Sasaki, conscious of doing something that wouldn't be done in other exhibitions, as it is related to this collaboration. The items on display at Maison Eureka include this season's items, all currently on sale. We've also created a limited-edition collaboration sneaker, hand-painted by Sasaki. These sneakers feature Sasaki's iconic tile pattern, a design I adore, with subtle coloring. Everything on display, including postcards of Sasaki's work, is available for purchase, and the prices are reasonable, so I think this will be a fantastic opportunity for those who haven't had much exposure to art. While Sasaki's previous exhibitions have tended to be more geared toward connoisseurs, only truly art-savvy visitors would attend, I believe the Isetan Shinjuku Men's Store will be an opportunity for a wide range of people, from art connoisseurs to those who are interested but not particularly knowledgeable. I hope this exhibition sparks an interest in art. "ART UP by MEN'S CREATORS" within Isetan Men's official media "IMn" focuses on artists and their works, curated from the unique perspective of buyers, and explores and disseminates information about the world of art, which shows close ties with the fashion industry.