Ginza Maison Hermès Le Forum will host a group exhibition titled "Shaping the Body," showcasing works by FRAC Grand Large, a regional contemporary art collection based in Dunkirk, France, from July 19, 2025. The exhibition explores the diverse ways in which the body exists in our time through works by 13 international artists, with a focus on the social body.

Venue entrance /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Ginza Maison Hermès, completed in 2001, is Japan's "maison" (home). The Hermès Ginza store occupies the basement level through to the fourth floor, while the eighth floor houses the art gallery "Le Forum," and the tenth floor houses the reservation-only mini-theater "Le Studio." The lantern-like glass-block architecture was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

Exhibition view (Paul Maheke: "Lost the Flock," "Mauve Hour IV," and "Lavender Lei") /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Among these, "Le Forum" is an art space operated by the Hermès Foundation, providing an experimental space for collaborative creative endeavors with artists. This exhibition was realized as part of our aim to build an art ecosystem through collaboration with other institutions.


Expressions by 13 artists that question the relationship between society and the body
The exhibition title, "Fair Corps," comes from the French phrase "Faire Corps." This word means "to become one" or "to be in harmony," and alludes to the body, community, and social connections. The exhibition will feature works from 1973 to 2025, spanning multiple media, including video, photography, sculpture, installation, and performance.

Installation view (André Caderé, "Round Wooden Stick," "Exhibition with Galerie des Rocateurs") /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

The exhibiting artists include Helen Chadwick, known for her photographs that question the body and gender; André Caderé, known for his provocations against existing art institutions; and Jesse Darling, whose work explores the fragility of the body and the need for care. Also participating from Japan is Osaka-based artist Kohei Sasahara. His installation, which explores the themes of society and human life, is not to be missed.

Exhibition view /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Furthermore, each artist approaches the "social body" from a different perspective, including Abake/Obake, who undertakes interdisciplinary and participatory projects, Tarek Lakrissi, who pursues poetic and political expression, and Nefeli Papadimouli, who explores the possibilities of public space and performance.


FRAC Grand Large and its Collection
The works featured in this exhibition are from the collection of FRAC, a regional collection of contemporary art in France. Founded in 1982 and based in Dunkirk since 1996, FRAC Grand Large has amassed a collection of over 2,000 art and design works.

Exhibition view (Nefeli Papadimouli's "Becoming a Forest" and "Eight Hats Like Us" /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE
What makes it unique is that it builds relationships with a variety of artists through its international network, while at the same time placing importance on ties with the local community. While collaborating with museums and art centers, it has also held exhibitions in schools, hospitals and other venues, delivering art as a shared community asset.


The works at FRAC Grand Large reflect contemporary society's hierarchies, gender structures, and tensions surrounding national borders, embodying the potential of art not simply as an object of appreciation, but as a medium that influences society.


Considering Society and the Individual through Art
This exhibition uses art as a medium to highlight the mutability of "everyday life" and "order," while reexamining the meaning of "body" and "existence" for individuals and groups. The artists' expressions, sometimes humorous, sometimes critical, and sometimes poetic, challenge our "physical senses" as we live in the modern world.

Installation view (Christine Decunit "Drawing Series") /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE

Through this exhibition, visitors will once again realize that art is not merely decorative, but a catalyst for thought and dialogue. This multi-layered experiment on the "body" in modern society is sure to quietly but surely touch the mind and body of viewers in the heart of the city of Ginza.

Installation view (Kohei Sasahara "Sunny") /photo by ©FASHION HEADLINE





Inquiries:
Ginza Maison Hermès Le Forum
TEL 03-3569-3300