ADF Art Gallery Project Vol. 45 | Artist Takeshi Sumi Solo Exhibition "Rhythm wears Life"

ADF (NPO Aoyama Design Forum) is pleased to announce the 45th installment of its art exhibition series, "ADF Art Gallery Project," featuring a solo exhibition by artist Takeshi Sumi titled "Rhythm wears Life." The exhibition will be held at GARDE Gallery in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, from July 10 (Fri) to July 29 (Wed), 2026. The exhibition will primarily showcase works included in Sumi's third photobook, "Rhythm wears Life," published this past April, and visitors will have the opportunity to view the photobook. We invite you to experience Sumi's artistic world, where the exhibition title "Rhythm wears Life" embodies the concept of "life connecting to life." An opening reception will be held on July 10 (Fri) from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and all are welcome to attend.

Takeshi Sumi

Sumi primarily photographs portraits, but he often applies physical techniques such as slits and embroidery, or uses light, to the paper on which the subject is printed. These actions breathe new beauty into the seemingly fixed world of photography, and the resulting forms transcend the mere beauty of the individual subject. Works employing slits and embroidery, as well as straight photographs taken with this perspective in mind, present a universal resonance that goes beyond the individual stories of each life.

Takeshi Sumi

Sumi has recently been focusing on works that incorporate embroidery into photographs, and through this process, he realizes the creation of depth in the photographs. This depth liberates the photograph from being mere two-dimensional information and connects it to a world with three-dimensional substance, continuous with human existence. This technique also successfully adds value to photography, which is inherently a reproductive art, as a unique piece.

Takeshi Sumi

Takeshi Sumi

Takeshi Sumi

Takeshi Sumi

Takeshi Sumi (Sumi Takeshi)

Born in Kyoto in 1981. After graduating from the Faculty of Letters at Meiji University, he completed his studies at the Department of Information Design, Tama Art University. With the theme of "finding the world beyond what can be seen," he primarily uses photography and emphasizes physical sensations in his creative process. His published works include "Sora ni okeru Yūei" (Swimming in the Sky) (2012, Libroarte), "Yubi to Hoshi" (Fingers and Stars) (2019, Libroarte), and "Rhythm wears Life" (2026, Tonbodama Shuppan).

His works are also held in the agnès b. collection, and he has provided works for book covers and advertising visuals. He has also been involved in activities related to social themes, such as providing the main visual for the documentary "Harukanaru" for individuals with ALS, and contributing works to the art project "Silhouette Family Exhibition" (organized by Kodomap in 2023) themed around LGBTQ+ families.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2025 "concorde" (Kyoto) 2025 "Les fantasies - What Was There -" node hotel (Kyoto) 2024 "For a better world" hIDE GALLERY TOKYO (Tokyo) 2023 "Photographs, lost and born" hIDE GALLERY TOKYO (Tokyo) 2021 "halo" BOOK AND SONS (Tokyo) 2020 "Les Fantaisies" Galerie Grand E’Terna (Paris) 2019 "Yubi to Hoshi" gallery Main (Kyoto) 2019 "Fingers and Stars" Galerie Grand E’Terna (Paris) 2016 "Existence is beyond the reflection and transmitted light" Shinpukan by gallery Main (Kyoto) 2015 "Lumière et vous" Galerie Grand E'Terna (Paris) 2011 "Hikari" (Light) Port Gallery T (Osaka) 2010 "Meteor" Akarui Heya (Tokyo)

Art Projects

2023 "Silhouette Family Exhibition" Joint project with Kodomap General Incorporated Association

Art Fairs (Selected)

2024 ONE ART TAIPEI 2024 (Taipei) / hIDE GALLERY TOKYO 2023 ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2023 (Fukuoka) / hIDE GALLERY TOKYO 2017 fotofever (Paris) / gallery Main 2016 affordable art fair (New York) 2012 no found photo fair (Paris) / Libroarte 2012 TOKYO PHOTO 2012 (Tokyo) / Libroarte

Books

April 2026 "Rhythm wears Life" Tonbodama Shuppan September 2019 "Yubi to Hoshi" Libroarte October 2012 "Sora ni okeru Yūei" Libroarte

Selected Works Provided

2023 Cover of "THE FORWARD vol.6" (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha) 2022 Cover of "Tōmei na Maku o Kakatenagara" by Li Kotomine (Hayakawa Publishing) 2022 Cover of "Koi no Owari ni" by Tsukurou Nishida (Gentōsha) 2021 Cover of "Kamisama-tachi" by Miki Mori (Kobunsha) 2020 JR Kyoto Isetan 20th Anniversary Visual 2020 Cover of "Polaris ga Furisosogu Yoru" by Li Kotomine (Chikuma Shobo) 2020 Cover of "Gunjō Vol.75 No.1" (Kodansha) 2019 Cover of "Behavior" by Shindō Jūnjō (KADOKAWA e-book) 2018 Library edition binding for "Tokumeisha no tame no Spica" by Rio Shimamoto (Shōeisha)

Exhibition Period

July 10 (Fri), 2026 - July 29 (Wed), 2026

Hours

11:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Last day until 5:00 PM)

Venue

GARDE Gallery

Closed

Sundays and National Holidays

Address

NBF ALLIANCE Bldg. 4F, 5-2-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Note

Please do not inquire about the venue location at the first-floor shop.