Isetan Shinjuku celebrated its grand opening on March 6th with the appointment of Maki Taguchi, organizer of the "MIG project," a project promoting girly culture to the world, as curator of the newly launched "ISETAN GIRL GALLERY" on the second floor of the "Isetan Girl" PARK section. The gallery will be located on the second floor of the East Park, an event space on each women's clothing floor. Based on the concept of the "Theater Wonderroom," the gallery will showcase "Tokyo's latest trends, attracting global attention," using the image of a mobile theater. Through her work, Taguchi, who was appointed as the curator, has built strong connections with young artists and musicians. She was the perfect choice for the "ISETAN GIRL GALLERY," as she understands the value of authentic art while also embodying a girly element that everyday girls can relate to. Taguchi had this to say about the project's aims: "Half of ISETAN GIRL GALLERY is a visual presentation (VP) space led by Isetan, while the other half is a gallery space for free expression. In other words, it's an entirely new space that combines VP and art. How can we materialize this expression, which lies somewhere between fashion business and art? We decided to select specific artists each time who could express the current era and the worldview of girls, but creating the space wasn't easy."
As a commercial space, artists are subject to certain restrictions. For example, flammable works cannot be exhibited, and there are restrictions on hanging heavy works from the ceiling. Meanwhile, Isetan also leaves some discretion to the artists. Without respect for the artist's worldview, the space would not be what he intended. Taguchi's role was to gain the understanding of both parties and bring to life the "world that girls love" he envisioned.
The first person Taguchi approached was Tomoko Nagai. Nagai is a promising young artist whose work was selected for Tokyo Wonder Wall in 2006 and has steadily gained recognition through solo exhibitions at Tomio Koyama Gallery and elsewhere. She paints fantastical, imaginative spaces featuring bears, cats, and young girls lingering against a natural backdrop. "I love Tove Jansson's Moomin," says Nagai, whose work is influenced by the world of dolls and toys she played with as a child. "I'm from the dollhouse generation. When I was a child, I used to play with Sylvanian Families dolls. I'd place them on the grass and stare at them, or put them in water (laughs)." Taguchi says Nagai's work embodies "a world that girls can naturally relate to." It's an extraordinary space that's cute, warm, and ephemeral at the same time. Furthermore, her rich seasonality perfectly embodies the image of spring, the launch season.
"This time, I consciously chose an artist who didn't seem to have a strong affinity with fashion. Someone whose field of activity is far removed from fashion is more unexpected and opens up more possibilities for future developments. However, if you're not actually interested in fashion, it's difficult to get someone to participate in this project. Nagai-san has a very wide range of interests, including fashion, music, and film, so I thought I could work with her," says Taguchi.
When asked, Nagai immediately replied, "Please let me do it!" She was enthusiastic about the project from the start. Since it was a start-up project, the shape of the space hadn't been decided yet, but "constraints motivate me (laughs)," and as soon as she saw the "ISETAN GIRL GALLERY," she had an image of the works she would exhibit.
The theme of the exhibition is "Ursa Borealis and Lynx." Works themed around the spring constellations Corona Borealis, Ursa Minor, and Lynx Borealis will be exhibited, intertwined with the stars. In addition to smaller works scattered throughout the gallery, Nagai will also display her own toys and stuffed animals. A star-shaped mobile hangs from the ceiling. On the first day of the grand opening, people of all ages gazed upon the artwork in this girly art space, which is hard to believe is located in a department store.
In addition, stockings and socks designed by Nagai will be on sale in April within the "Park." "I've worked so hard to make them, so I hope they sell well," says Nagai. He is also enthusiastic about this endeavor, which crosses the lines of fashion business and art. Through this project, Nagai says, "I want people who don't normally look at art to say, 'Wow, this is cute!'"
Of course, Taguchi, who is responsible for the overall design, shares the same sentiment.
"These days, it's hard to encounter anything unexpected or unexpected. But wouldn't anyone be surprised to come across a space like this in a department store? The concept is a transition to another world and new discoveries. In that sense, this space is a real theater."
