Designing the KUMIHIMO exhibition

Mitsui Rei, architect and designer of KUMIHIMO: Japanese Silk Braiding by DOMYO explains the elements of space and structure found throughout his exhibition design.

Although kumihimo braids are very small and thin, ‘within them is an incredibly beautiful world,’ explains Mitsui, and his design aims to open this world to visitors. His creative space design at Japan House London also takes inspiration from Japanese architecture, including himorogi – a structure found in shrines in Japan which designates a sacred space.

Following his ethos of ‘the pursuit of emptiness’, Mitsui designed an exhibition space with an atmosphere that matches the intricacy and beauty of its subject, kumihimo.

Learn more about this art in our exhibition Kumihimo: Japanese Silk Braiding by DOMYO or explore the virtual exhibition. 

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