Benesse Art Site Naoshima Recreated at a Parisian Department Store

The “Le Japon Rive Gauche” exhibition, with over 100 participating Japanese brands, is divided into culture and fashion sections,showcasing "Japan" through clothing, food, housing, and art on an unprecedented scale. The main guest for the culture section is Tadao Ando, a leading Japanese architect, who will present works themed around his architecture at Benesse Art Site Naoshima.

Benesse Art Site Naoshima is the collective term for the art activities operated by Benesse Holdings and the Fukutake Foundation, centered around the islands of Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima in the Seto Inland Sea. In 1989, Soichiro Fukutake initiated art activities with the vision of "an island where the smiles of the islanders overflow." Currently, over 100 artworks are scattered across outdoor spaces, museums, and old private houses on the three islands of Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima. Visitors can experience works by various artists, including James Turrell and Yayoi Kusama, with each island offering unique artistic encounters.

Tadao Ando designed four museums on Naoshima: the Chichu Art Museum, the Lee Ufan Museum, the Benesse House Museum, and the ANDO MUSEUM. He also designed the House Project "Goh-jyu" and "Benesse House," a lodging facility for art enthusiasts from around the world. The “Le Japon Rive Gauche” exhibition will feature large-scale models of Ando's architectural works on Naoshima, presented as an installation incorporating video, light, and sound on the third floor of Le Bon Marché. These models were meticulously crafted by students from the École Boulle, a national arts and crafts school in Paris, symbolizing a collaborative project between Japan and France.

On the first floor, a photo and video exhibition titled "Smile" will also be held concurrently. Photographers Gabriel de la Chapelle and video artist Quentin Labail traveled to Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima, capturing the "smiles" of the islanders, representing their renewed joy and vitality brought about by the revitalization through art. Furthermore, Tadao Ando's paintings will be displayed in the shop windows of Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche.

“Le Japon Rive Gauche” Exhibition
Period | Saturday, August 30th – Saturday, October 18th
Venue | Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche
Address | 24, rue de Sèvres 75007 Paris FRANCE
Tel. +33 1 44 39 80 00