The "MIYAKE ISSEY Exhibition: The Work of Miyake Issey" opened at the National Art Center, Tokyo on March 16th. A press preview and press conference were held the day before the exhibition, attended by Miyake Issey and other related parties.

"Shortly after the opening of 21_21 DESIGN SITE in 2007, I visited the nearby National Art Center, Tokyo to say hello, and I muttered to myself, 'I hope I can hold an exhibition there someday.' This 10-year project began when Miyake explained, "This is the beginning of a project." This unprecedented, large-scale exhibition showcases the work of designer Miyake Issey, which has remained a "trade secret" for approximately 45 years, from his career beginning in 1970 to the present.

The planning for this exhibition began a few years ago, when Miyake Issey began organizing his 45-year archive. Miyake explained, "Carefully selecting the pieces for this exhibition, looking back at the time of each piece from my vast collection of tens of thousands of pieces, was a much more time-consuming process than I expected. The exhibition was postponed from its original plan, but it finally came to fruition this year." This insightful commentary brings to mind the artist's 45-year history. The exhibition, which condenses this history, is divided into three sections: A, B, and C. Room A features garments from the 1970s, when Miyake Design Studio was founded, including "Tattoo," "Linen Jumpsuit," "Swimsuit and Capstole," and "Nuba." Room B displays the "Body" series, which began with the "Plastic Body" collection in the Fall/Winter 1980 collection and continued in various forms until 1985. The spatial design of both sections A and B was handled by Tokujin Yoshioka, who has known Miyake for 20 years. The mannequins used to display the clothes, "Grid Body," were also created specifically for this exhibition. Based on Miyake's concept that "clothing begins with a single piece of fabric," each piece is made up of 365 laser-cut pieces assembled in a grid pattern from a single piece of paper or acrylic sheet. Room C, designed by Taku Sato, showcases Miyake's driving force behind his work, with collaborations between his team, manufacturers, and designers, divided into five themes, including "Pleats," "IKKO TANAKA ISSEY MIYAKE," and "132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE / Shadows IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE." A particularly noteworthy corner will feature a first-ever public demonstration of the production process of "product pleating," featuring staff operating a pleating machine. "I believe this exhibition will inspire visitors, from children to adults, to want to create something of their own," says Miyake. "I want to convey that design, including the process leading up to completion, is a job full of exciting possibilities." When asked at the press conference, "What challenges do future creators who will be active over the next 40 years?", he replied, "There are many issues, such as resource shortages and population growth, but I think we will need designs that are more closely connected to lifestyles and ways of living, such as products that can be shared by men and women or families, products that give off a sense of warmth, and products that are easy to wash. Design is interesting because it is created through daily discussions as a team, including everyday matters of daily life." After the press conference, the opening ceremony for the exhibition took place, during which Miyake was awarded the Commander of the Legion of Honor, an order of arts and letters, by the French government. A variety of related events are scheduled for the exhibition, including talks by Taku Sato and Naoto Fukasawa on "The Sensibility of Miyake Issey" (April 23), photographer Yuriko Takagi and architect Tsuyoshi Tane on "Nobody Knows" (May 8), and textile designer and Issey Miyake Inc. director Makiko Minagawa on "Continuing to Provide Small Surprises: Miyake Issey's Textile Creations" (June 4). Workshops include "Experience Newspaper and Packing Tape Art" by artist Kotaro Sekiguchi on April 17, and "Oriori Lab Opens!" by staff from Reality Lab. on April 29. Details of the events and how to book are available on the National Art Center, Tokyo's official website (http://www.nact.jp/exhibition_special/2016/MIYAKE_ISSEY/index.html).