The latest exhibition by the upcycling art project ［LESS, BUT BETTER］, titled “The LAB”, will be held in Nakameguro, Tokyo, from Friday 3 July to Sunday 5 July!

The upcycling art project [LESS, BUT BETTER], launched in 2023, is holding a new exhibition, “The LAB”, this weekend at ‘calif art gallery’ in Nakameguro, Tokyo. Led by stylist Akiyoshi Morita, this project operates under the philosophy of ‘creating new value from the past and circulating it into the future’. It has been transforming folk art objects that have served their purpose, as well as items lying dormant in old traditional houses, into one-of-a-kind art pieces through the hands of artists. Positioned as a laboratory—or ‘LAB’—this exhibition is a space where tradition and street culture, the past and the future, intersect.

The Vision Behind the Project

Encountering folk art is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each item, having spent a long time as part of someone’s daily life, holds its own story. ‘LESS, BUT BETTER’ respects these stories whilst breathing new life into folk art and items that had been neglected, forgotten and destined for the rubbish tip, by infusing them with the sensibilities of contemporary artists.

The warmth of traditional craftsmanship and the free, stimulating energy of street art. Past and present, craftsmanship and culture, folk art and fine art. We believe that when these differing values meet and blend, a new kind of value is born—one that has never existed before. Through these one-of-a-kind works, we aim to gradually spread the vision of ‘a future where objects shine once more’, ‘a society of continuous circulation’ and ‘the choice not to discard’ throughout society.

Overview and Significance of “The LAB”

‘The LAB’ is a space for the experimental presentation of the activities that ‘LESS, BUT BETTER’ has built up over the years. From the works created by a diverse range of artists, to every single item comprising the venue, right through to the concurrent exhibition of the apparel line—everything is underpinned by a consistent philosophy of ‘not creating anything new’ and ‘recycling items that have served their purpose’. A key feature of this exhibition is that it is not merely a space for viewing artworks; rather, the entire venue embodies the practice of upcycling itself.

Over 40 artists are taking part. Creators from completely different backgrounds—including tattoo artists, graffiti artists and painters—have come together to engage with objects that have served their purpose, each through their own unique sensibility. Every piece is hand-painted and one-of-a-kind, and the sheer breadth of genres and forms of expression is a key highlight of this exhibition. Even when using the same folk art objects as raw materials, they are transformed into entirely different works depending on the creator—please come to the venue to experience this diversity and richness for yourself.

The core of the exhibition consists of folk art objects, including kokeshi dolls, Gosho dolls, hanging scrolls, Fukusuke figurines and masks. We view these items—which once formed part of people’s daily lives and prayers but have since fallen into disuse—not merely as unwanted objects, but as canvases upon which to create new forms of expression. When the traces of craftsmanship inherent in these old objects meet the sensibilities of contemporary artists, unique pieces emerge that bridge the past and the future.

The approach of ‘not creating anything new’ in the exhibition design is also a core principle of this exhibition. From the exhibited works themselves, to the staff uniforms, the fixtures and fittings in the venue, and even the carrier bags given to visitors—virtually everything that makes up the exhibition space has been prepared by upcycling existing resources. Almost nothing has been newly manufactured; the very act of ‘revitalising and circulating existing resources’ is itself an expression of our philosophy. What we value most is not creating things from scratch, but rather the perspective of how to circulate limited resources. We are also launching an apparel line at the same time. Following on from our previous pop-up, which was very well received, this exhibition will feature both art and apparel on display and for sale. Director Morita utilises materials that have served their purpose on styling sets; these are deconstructed and re-screen-printed in collaboration with artists to be reconstructed into one-of-a-kind upcycled garments.

This is an endeavour to confront the waste generated by the fashion industry and transform it into new value. We have also prepared products that visitors can take home to use in their daily lives, such as original ‘Azuma bags’ crafted from kimono fabric.

And don’t miss the oversized Daruma created by Daruma artisan ACRAFT (Aoi Shimizu). ACRAFT, who attracted considerable attention at the previous ‘Daruma Exhibition’, has crafted a truly spectacular piece especially for this exhibition. As the symbol of the venue, we invite you to experience its presence up close. Presenting sustainability not as a sacrifice, but as a form of creativity. Giving objects that have served their purpose a new, exciting role. ‘The LAB’ is a space where creators from different disciplines come together experimentally to nurture the choice not to discard into a positive culture.

Opening Reception — A Toast with Sustainable Craft Beer

On the first day of the exhibition, Friday 3 July, from 17:00 to 20:00, we will be holding an opening reception to welcome the general public, alongside invited industry professionals, artists and guests. This will be a special occasion where you can get a sneak preview of the philosophy of ‘not creating new things’ and ‘recycling’, which runs through everything from the exhibited artworks and apparel to the venue design itself. Craft beer produced using sustainable methods will be served on the day. It will be provided by ‘Better Life with Upcycle’, a brewery founded on the concept of upcycling. Run by Sakaeya Seipan—a long-established bakery in Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture, with a history spanning over 100 years—the brewery utilises ‘bread crusts’—the large quantities of crusts trimmed daily from sandwich loaves and previously discarded—as part of the malt in their brewing process. This philosophy of breathing new life into materials that have served their purpose resonates perfectly with the ethos of this exhibition, ‘LESS, BUT BETTER’. What was destined for the bin is transformed into a delicious pint—surrounded by one-of-a-kind artworks, please enjoy a toast with this sustainable craft beer.

Artists in the Spotlight

Yuta Okuda

Whilst he previously created detailed paintings composed solely of calculated lines, in recent years he has continued to exhibit works centred on flowers, placing an emphasis on ‘serendipity’. For this exhibition, Okuda—who has adopted ‘gratitude’ as his theme—will create dynamic new works using discarded traditional Japanese paper folk art objects as his medium, depicting golden flowers and the cats that emerge from them.

Asako Iwamizu

An artist who masterfully manipulates fabric, centring her practice on ‘Kime-komi Art’. She advocates a style she calls ‘Fabric Jockey’, in which she remixes diverse materials with varying textures and colour tones—much like a DJ—to bring about unexpected chemical reactions in her work. Her pieces possess the power to vividly transform the atmosphere of any space in which they are displayed. Her activities are wide-ranging, encompassing art projects both in Japan and abroad, as well as exhibitions in historic venues. Transcending the boundaries of age and location, she continues to deliver new forms of beauty that resonate with the spirit of the times, whilst sharing the joy of creation.

ACRAFT (Aoi Shimizu)

A daruma craftsman who creates each daruma by hand, one at a time, using discarded fabric. For this exhibition, he has produced an extra-large daruma. Centred on the themes of ‘the spirit of Zen’ and ‘learning from the past to innovate for the future’, this spectacular symbolic piece—a fusion of traditional techniques and contemporary sensibilities—will take pride of place at the heart of the venue.

Yuta Okuda — A Note on This Exhibition

Mr Okuda, who previously worked as a fashion designer, has long been concerned by the fact that ‘whilst I love clothes, so much of them ends up being discarded’. Now that he has become an artist, his aim is to create objects that are not merely consumed, but which will be cherished and passed down for generations. The theme he imbues in his signature ‘flower’ works is gratitude. By expressing gratitude for well-worn objects and layering his own art upon them, he passes them on to the next person who will treasure them—at the heart of this lies a distinctly Japanese sensibility. For this exhibition, he turned his attention to a folk art piece made of washi paper, featuring bonsai and landscapes painted on both sides. Upon receiving it, Mr Okuda remarked, ‘It was not rubbish, but a material and a subject of interest.’ He completed one side at a time, allowing each to dry before layering lines—a painstaking process—ultimately transforming it into a one-of-a-kind piece in which a cat emerges from a golden flower. ‘If children who see this think, “That’s cool, I’d like to try that too,” then seeing more children feel that way is one of the meanings of this project.’

List of participating artists (titles omitted, listed in no particular order)

Fumiaki Asai, OT, Yuta Okuda, Tetsu Kashiwagi, Hideo Goto, Rihomi Sato (GOLDWOOD ARTWORKS), Kei Ito, Momomi Chida, Hen Nakao, Ken Hamaguchi, Yasuyuki Hirano, Mitsuyoshi, Toshiaki Yamaguchi / Kyorome, Manju VERYMUCH, Aretha Brown, ACRAFT, bias, chiho monguchi, chichinmuimui, COYOTE Slick Lick, END, enter (OT29), Hideyuki Katsumata・Jon Xabier Garaizar・KONIROW・Koji Toyama・Made in Yamayosi・NAPOYAN・NK.art・Yuji Oda・onree・Patrick Hengen・Popping Kimmy・RAKUEN・Rob Kidney／ Rob Kidney・snipe1・SUI THE TOKYO・Tamawo・Teppei Takahashi・TENKI・TOM DISH・TRIVANE / Toribane・tsubasa・WALNUT (GOLDWOOD ARTWORKS)・yooolk