Craftsmanship, weaving, and a dialogue with nature. Threads and colors spun by hand, inspired by the natural world, come together as Italian design meets Japanese textile culture at the Tokyo showroom of the Italian design brand Paola Lenti.
From Friday, October 30 to Saturday, November 7, 2026, the Paola Lenti Tokyo Showroom hosts a special exhibition titled "WOVEN LANDSCAPES." The exhibition is part of DESIGNART TOKYO 2026 and is a collaboration with Kawashima Selkon (川島織物セルコン).
Where Sea, Sky, and Earth Become Color and Texture
Sea, sky, and earth. The exhibition explores how colors and textures drawn from nature take shape through material research and the handwork of artisans. By layering Kawashima Selkon's traditional weaving techniques over Paola Lenti's distinctive approach to color and materials, it reveals the deep affinity between two different design cultures.
The collaboration with Kawashima Selkon was first unveiled at Paola Lenti Milano during Milan Design Week 2026. It is rooted in values shared by both companies: a commitment to handwork, tireless exploration of materials, and color expression inspired by nature.
On display are tapestries inspired by the delicate gradations of the Earth's strata, along with works that express the rich history of tsuzure-ori (綴織), a traditional Japanese weaving technique. Through weaving and color, the works convey the depth and diversity of natural landscapes.
The exhibition also introduces "Chromatic Alphabet," which was presented at Milan Design Week 2026. Born from years of research, this tool is designed to let architects and designers intuitively explore and combine Paola Lenti's extensive range of colors and materials. Visitors can get a closer look at the rich possibilities of nature-inspired colors and textures.
"Chromatic Alphabet," the brand's original color system
The "Giunco" armchair and pouf, a classic rattan-woven chair beautifully reinterpreted with the brand's proprietary high-performance yarn
Tsuzuru (綴): Joining Words, Colors, and Threads
"Tsuzuru" (綴る) means to string words together, or to join colors and threads. Tsuzure-ori (綴織) is a technique that freely depicts pictures through combinations of warp and weft threads. Captivated by it, Kawashima Selkon has continued to explore tsuzure-ori for about 100 years.
Many of the designs handed down in tsuzure-ori patterns draw on nature, including seasonal flowers, birds, wind, and moon, as well as landscapes. They resonate deeply with the philosophy of Paola Lenti, which likewise pursues color and texture with nature as its source.
The two brands met through these tsuzure-ori works: the masterpiece exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair by the second-generation Jinbei Kawashima (二代川島甚兵衞) in the Meiji era, after years of study aimed at surpassing European Gobelin tapestries; the tapestry for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, created in collaboration with a contemporary artist; and the strata artwork introduced at Paola Lenti Milano during Milan Design Week 2026.
Tsuzure-ori is woven by artisans using, at times, hundreds to thousands of colored threads. From the Meiji era to the Reiwa era, from fine threads to thick ones, the artisans' skill and their devotion to craftsmanship have been passed down unchanged even as materials and tools have advanced, and this shares deep common ground with Paola Lenti's aesthetic.
"WOVEN LANDSCAPES" weaves space through the spirit of "tsuzuru," inviting visitors to enjoy a quiet "dialogue" between two cultures.
Photo by Masahiro Goto
Exhibition Details
- Exhibition Title: DESIGNART TOKYO 2026 Special Exhibition "WOVEN LANDSCAPES"
- Dates: Friday, October 30, 2026 to Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Opening Hours: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Venue: Paola Lenti Tokyo Showroom
- Address: 3-5-5 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo
- In Cooperation With: Kawashima Selkon (川島織物セルコン) https://www.kawashimaselkon.co.jp/
About DESIGNART TOKYO
DESIGNART TOKYO is a design and art festival that began in 2017 under the concept "INTO THE EMOTIONS" (a gateway to emotion). Set in Tokyo, one of the world's foremost mixed-culture cities, it brings together leading talents from Japan and abroad in fields such as interiors, art, fashion, technology, and food, with exhibitions held across the city.
In its tenth year, this year's theme is "Hibiki." With the KK Line in Ginza (the former Tokyo Expressway) as the main venue, around 70 venues present original works that resonate with all five senses. Visitors can wander through Tokyo and encounter future masterpieces that move the heart.
Related Links
- "WOVEN LANDSCAPES" details: https://www.paolalenti.jp/post/woven-landscape
- DESIGNART TOKYO 2026 official website: https://www.designart.jp/designarttokyo2026/exhibitions/13784/
