Eugene Kangawa will unveil a new project with A- POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE in Paris this October. Featuring a new technically groundbreaking textile, the project draws on Kangawa’s seminal work Light and shadow inside me (2022—), a series of photograms, which will be showcased at a special exhibition hosted by A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE during Art Basel Paris 2025. The work will also be permanently installed at the forthcoming Eugene Museum in Bali, opening in 2026.
Japanese multidisciplinary artist Eugene Kangawa (b.1989) and A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE will debut a new collaborative project, the culmination of a three-year creative dialogue between Kangawa and A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae with his team. The collaboration began when Miyamae first encountered Kangawa’s painting series Light and shadow inside me (2021—) during the artist’s solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2021–22), sparking a series of workshops and conceptual development.
The project will be first unveiled in a special exhibition conceived by Paris-based architect Tsuyoshi Tane, known for his work on the Estonian National Museum and the Al Thani Collection at Hôtel de la Marine, and recipient of the 2023 Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France. The presentation will spotlight the newly developed textile at the heart of the collaboration, shown together with select test pieces, artworks, and the creative tools that brought it to life. The exhibition will also feature guided tours by Kangawa and Miyamae, as well as an ongoing workshop that offers visitors a hands-on experience of the creative process. Following its Paris debut, the project will be presented in Tokyo and Osaka, offering audiences an unprecedented encounter with the convergence of Eugene Kangawa’s artistic vision and A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE’s pioneering textile innovation.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Miyamae and the A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE team for our thoughtful collaboration in translating my artistic vision into fabric, and to Mr. Tane for designing the spatial elements to experience the collection in Paris. Issey Miyake’s human-centered philosophy resonates deeply with my work, particularly in exploring themes of existence. Light and shadow inside me (2022—), the work that inspired the collection, began as a series of green paintings created together with sunlight, using fading as a medium, and later evolved into a monochrome photogram series using only paper and light. I am excited to present it alongside the collection in Paris, and for visitors to encounter it at the Eugene Museum when it opens in Bali next year.”
Eugene Kangawa
Light and shadow inside me (2022—): Re-Imagined in a Groundbreaking New Textile
A signature body of work by Kangawa, Light and shadow inside me (2022—) is a series of two dimensional works created entirely through light. Earlier variations comprised paper coated with
water-based dye, folded into polyhedral shapes similar to origami, and exposed to sunlight for several weeks, producing natural gradations. The later variations that inspired the collection feature monochrome compositions, in which photographic paper is folded into similar shapes and selectively exposed to artificial light in a darkroom, creating photograms. Kangawa’s technique relies solely on light and shadow as both material and medium, reflecting on our corporeal existence and beyond.
Inspired by the artwork, the team from A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE developed an innovative ‘bit-level’ textile for this collection, reimagining the smallest units of silver particles on photographic paper as an analogy for the intersection of threads in fabric. In translating Kangawa’s artistic vision into fabric, a gradient from black to white is achieved entirely through variations in weaving density—without using different thread colors or dyes—marking an unprecedented development in textile design.
“We are delighted to present an exhibition in Paris in collaboration with Eugene Kangawa / EUGENE STUDIO. A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE has consistently returned to the essence of materials and structure, exploring new possibilities in clothing. For this project, we were inspired by Mr. Kangawa’s aesthetic philosophy, which derives rich expression from the fundamental elements of light and shadow, offering us a new perspective in our creative practice. We returned to the smallest unit of fabric: a single thread. Using only black and white threads, we explored light and shadow through variations in weave patterns and density, translating the phenomena of photographic paper and light into the language of cloth. We look forward to sharing this exploration with visitors in the historically and culturally layered city of Paris.”
Yoshiyuki Miyamae, designer of A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE
Public Exhibition (Free Admission, Advance Booking Required) October 24th–25th, 11AM – 7PM October 26th, 11AM – 6PM Lycée Turgot Paris 0 Rue Volta, 75003 Paris, France.
Further details on the collaboration are available on the Eugene Studio website here
Eugene Museum: Opening in Bali, 2026
Light and shadow inside me (2022—) will be among the permanent works featured in the forthcoming Eugene Museum, scheduled to open in Tabanan, Bali in the Summer of 2026. Nestled in a UNESCO World Heritage area, the museum will feature over 15 permanent paintings and installations by Kangawa, including both existing and newly commissioned work. The project was initiated by a community of art collectors across Asia and is being developed by a local organization.
Designed by renowned Indonesian architect Andra Matin, Eugene Museum will span over one hectare, with 5,000 square meters dedicated to the building and facilities, including more than 15 gallery spaces. Overnight accommodation programs will allow visitors to reside on-site and experience Kangawa’s works as the evening light shifts, engaging with the art beyond regular visiting hours. Built on revitalized rice field land, the museum’s spatial layout preserves existing trees, while its façade incorporates terracotta bricks handcrafted by local artisans, creating a harmony between art and nature.
About the artist
Eugene Kangawa (b.1989, New Jersey, United States) is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his conceptual approach to painting and installation, where he orchestrates considered environments that rely on natural phenomena and the laws of physics. His work mediates on the symbiotic nature of existence, while exploring the boundaries and transformative power of imagination. In 2016, Kangawa established Eugene Studio, a Tokyo-based studio dedicated to research, development, and production of his works.
Kangawa gained international recognition following his landmark solo presentation at the Museum
of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2021), where he became the youngest artist to be granted such an exhibition. Notable previous exhibitions include ‘After the Rainbow’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2021), ‘De-sport’ at the 21st Century Museum in Kanazawa (2020), and “89+” at the Serpentine Gallery in London (2014). Kangawa was identified in the 2017 publication The Age of Art × Technology (written by Daisuke Miyatsu and Kobunsha Shinsho) as one of four leading Japanese artists working in art and technology, along with teamLab and others. @eugene_studio_official
About
A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE is a brand that sets out to weave the future by instigating dialogues on clothing between creators and wearers. A-POC, announced in 1998, has revolutionized the process of clothes–making, where it introduced a new form of design in which the wearers partake. With more dynamism, a team of engineers led by Yoshiyuki Miyamae set out to further develop what A-POC has created and evolved into over time. Within a piece of cloth bringing about different ideas and diverse relationships with the wearers, the brand creates a variety of “ABLE’s” by engaging with different professions and industries.
Yoshiyuki Miyamae, Designer, A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE Born in 1976 in Tokyo, Miyamae joined Miyake Design Studio in 2001 and worked with Issey Miyake as a member of the design team that created A-POC. Later, he joined the design team of ISSEY MIYAKE and was the fourth designer of the brand from 2011 to 2019. Since the start of A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE in 2021, he has led the team of engineers to engage in further research and development for A-POC.
About Eugene Museum, Bali Opening Summer 2026 Surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Eugene Museum is the first-ever permanent museum of Japanese contemporary artist Eugene Kangawa (b.1989) in Tabanan, Bali. The project was initiated by a community of art collectors across Asia, with the aim of providing a permanent home for his works, allowing visitors to experience them year-round.
Designed by well-renowned Indonesia architect Andra Matin, the museum will span over one hectare with 5,000 square meters home to the museum’s building and facilities, including over 15 gallery spaces. Eugene Museum will feature over 15 permanent installations by the artist, including both existing and newly commissioned work.
Alongside its exhibitions, the museum will develop a social program in collaboration with local
communities, regional partners, and educational institutions across Asia, hosting workshops,
lectures, and events. Situated within a designated area called ‘Emmerald,’ the initiative is closely
connected with the surrounding cultural areas, including Nuanu Creative City, the adjacent Tanah
Lot Temple, and the Canggu region.
In November 2023, a project space showcasing plans for Eugene Museum and mock-up of the
works was established on the top floor of Jakarta Art Hub. eugene-museum.com
