From Wednesday, June 5th, the "ART UP" gallery space on the 2nd floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building will host "Emptiness is Form," an exhibition of works by London-born British photographer Mark Vassallo. The exhibition will feature photographs and ceramic collections for display and sale.


Mark Vassallo has exhibited his work in galleries and museums both in London and abroad, including the National Portrait Gallery, and has also worked on numerous advertising campaigns for various brands. In addition, he focuses on "flowers," delicately capturing their freshness in his photographic works.

In recent years, Vassallo has established an atelier in Shirahama, Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture, and has presented a ceramic collection that is based on Japan's minimalist aesthetic and makes use of the natural forms of the wood. Every step of the process is done by Vassallo himself, and the collection is full of originality, featuring unique textures created by mixing sand from Shirahama beach with glaze, and playful touches such as deep black hues created by incorporating charcoal from burnt wood.


The title of this fifth installment of "Art Up," titled "Emptiness is Form," is derived from Vassallo's cherished Zen philosophy, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form," which translates to "Every form in reality is empty, and emptiness is the true form." During the exhibition, the focus will be on "shadow," a key element of traditional Japanese aesthetics, and a selection of his monochrome works will be presented.

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Mark Vassallo

Mark Vassallo, originally from London, England, studied art at Central Saint Martins before moving to Japan in 1992 to pursue his creative career. In addition to working on advertising campaigns for popular brands and portraits of celebrities, he actively engages in personal projects such as photography and ceramics, and has attracted attention from around the world, including holding exhibitions at the prestigious National Portrait Gallery in London.

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Event Information

"Emptiness is Form"

□Wednesday, June 5th to Thursday, June 27th
□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 2nd Floor = Men's Creators

Text: ISETAN MEN'S net

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