For Filipino fans of Onitsuka Tiger, the upcoming FLARE exhibition in London promises to be an exciting
fusion of art and fashion, showcasing the brand’s innovative spirit. As the global Onitsuka community
continues to grow, this event offers a unique opportunity to see how the iconic Japanese brand collaborates
with renowned artists to push the boundaries of creativity. With 27 new works, including the stunning PixCell
series made from Onitsuka Tiger sneakers, this exhibition is a must-watch for those following the
intersection of fashion, culture, and art.
Intertwining multifarious materials, approaches, and concepts, FLARE presents works of a cohesive vision
that explore the contingencies of contemporary existence as well as grand narratives that harken back to the
universe’s origins. The paintings, sculptures, and installations reflect dynamic interplays of space, time, and
light, catapulting viewers into a new dimension charged with both paradox and possibility.
In May 2024, while the artists were conceptualizing the current exhibition, a historical solar flare occurred,
attracting great attention as auroras were observed around the world. Serendipitously, a few years prior,
they had jointly presented an exhibition titled Taiyo (“Sun”). In contemplating these connections, Kohei Nawa
proposed the title FLARE for the current exhibition as an homage to the celestial spectacle as well as the
artists’ interconnected creative journeys. Much like the sun, which channels ancient energies to illuminate
the future, FLARE addresses the essence and potential of our era, both present and future.
Kengo Kito’s celebrated “Hula Hoop” installations and paintings transform circles into infinitely connected
lines that in turn become larger intersecting circles—a potent metaphor for interconnectedness. The works
explore the relationship between the circle and the line, and fullness and the void, referencing traditional Zen
Buddhist philosophy where the circle is a form that is both perfectly whole and empty, while a straight line
symbolizes a spiritual path forward. For the current exhibition, Kito has chosen to use black tubes instead of
colorful tubes to fill the space. This is the first time Kito is using only black tubes, with the powerful black
lines echoing the energy and force of Onitsuka Tiger stripes.
Daisuke Ohba’s mesmerizing paintings are bathed in light and radiate color diffused in all directions,
establishing the pictorial field as a new dimension where time and space intersect. In Ohba’s words: “The
rainbow created from two vanishing points is created by the relationship between light, the viewer, and the
painting. They fuse together to become a mosaic, which encompasses the spectrum of cultures of
humanity.” Within this liminal mosaic of existence, viewers witness the fleeting ephemerality of an uncertain
world.
Kohei Nawa encapsulates the vast breadth and depth of the exhibition through works that range from the 2D
to the 3D. Works from Moment and Red Code materialise the presence of digital signals and noise
omnipresent in information space as well as the universe. Anchoring the exhibition are Nawa’s iconic
PixCell, Prism, and Trans series that utilize Onitsuka Tiger sneakers. Shoes, which relate to the verticality of
the figure, ground the body to the earth and connect human beings with the city, signify the starting point of
actions and movements.
Kohei Nawa, PixCell-Shoe #13 (L), 2024. Photography: Nobutada OMOTE © Kohei Nawa
As the title FLARE suggests, this exhibition focuses on the various phases of the circular form and the
amorphous energies, both literal and metaphorical, exuding from the orb-like structures. These include
celestial bodies, mass-produced products, polarized colors, self-referential and infinitely repeating illusions,
as well as swirling traces of drawings, clusters of dots, and even viewers’ own eyeballs as they perceive
these elements. As viewers navigate through the display, they redefine their own footing as the foundation
that links them to the world. With both feet planted firmly on the most familiar orb of all, the Earth, viewers
are invited to fully immerse themselves in the resounding flares emanating from the works in the exhibition.
“FLARE” a group exhibition by Kengo Kito, Daisuke Ohba, and Kohei Nawa, will be held at the gallery space
of the Onitsuka Tiger flagship store on Regent Street in London, from Thursday, October 10 to Friday,
November 8, 2024.
FLARE
Dates: Thursday, October 10, 2024 – Friday, November 8, 2024
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11:30-18:00 / Sunday: 12:00-18:00
Venue: Onitsuka Tiger Regent Street, London Flagship (249-251 Regent St., London W1B 2EP, UK)
Tiger Gallery Official Website: https://www.onitsukatiger.com/gb/en-gb/p/tigergallery/london/
Tiger Gallery Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tigergallery1949/
Onitsuka Tiger Official Website: https://www.onitsukatiger.com/ph/en-ph
Facebook： @OnitsukaTiger X： @OnitsukaTiger Instagram： @onitsukatigerph
Kengo Kito (b. 1977, Aichi, Japan) graduated from the Department of Oil Painting at Nagoya University of
the Arts in 2001 and completed his postgraduate studies of oil painting at Kyoto City University of Arts in
2003. In 1999, Kito was a founding member of the independent art space “dot”. Kito is a professor at the
Kyoto University of the Arts. Kito is known for his conceptual art installations that repurpose everyday
objects, such as hula hoops, shampoo bottles, and scarves, in constructions that incorporate rotation,
repetition and circulation in order to invoke the expansiveness of life forms and the universe. Kito’s works
combine a variety of expressive methods such as sculpture, painting, and photography, while connecting
modern materials with ideas rooted in traditional Japanese philosophy, culture, and art.
Daisuke Ohba (b. 1981, Shizuoka, Japan) graduated from the Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2005
and completed his master’s degree in Oil Painting at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2007. Blending Eastern
and Western painting techniques, and by manipulating unique materials and pigments whose colors change
depending on ambient light, Ohba creates iridescent pearl paintings that evoke continuously changing
illusions, constructing a quiet dialogue with viewers. As image and color continuously change throughout
time, the image, crystallized within the mind of the painter, is activated and brought to life. While these
responsive effects are calculated via methodological experiments according to optical laws, Ohba’s process
also embraces the notion of chance, producing unexpected formations of patterns. Ohba is an associate
professor at the Kyoto University of the Arts.
Kohei Nawa (b. 1975, Osaka, Japan) received a PhD in Fine Art/Sculpture from Kyoto City University of
Arts in 2003, and established Sandwich in 2009. He is now a professor at the Kyoto University of the Arts.
Focusing on the surface “skin” of sculpture as an interface connecting to the senses, Nawa began his
PixCell series in 2002 based on the concept of the cell, symbolizing the information age. Adopting a flexible
interpretation of the meaning of sculpture, he produces perceptual experiences that reveal the physical
properties of materials to the viewer through works addressing themes related to life and the cosmos and to
artistic sensibility and technology, including Direction, in which he produces paintings using gravity, Force, in
which silicone oil pours down through a space, Biomatrix, in which bubbles and grids emerge on a liquid
surface, and Foam, in which bubbles form enormous volumes.
Recently, Nawa has also worked on architectural projects, including the art pavilion “Kohtei.” “VESSEL,” a
performance work produced in conjunction with Belgo-French choreographer and dancer Damien Jalet, has
been presented around the world since its premiere in 2015. In 2018, his sculpture “Throne” was exhibited
under the Pyramid at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France. In 2023, “Ether (Equality),” a 25 meters-tall
sculpture was installed permanently on Seguin Island on France's Seine River.
Art Intelligence Global
Founded in 2021 by art market forces Amy Cappellazzo and Yuki Terase, Art Intelligence Global is a dual-
headquartered New York and Hong Kong based advisory service that offers an unrivaled breadth of
expertise and a holistic understanding of every corner of the art market.
Bennu Global Entertainment
In BGE, we aim to add value for our clients by utilizing our global network and spreading in-vogue Japanese
content throughout the world. We will focus on the five core businesses of GLOBAL PROMOTION, IP
BOUTIQUE, ARTIST MANAGEMENT, NFT MARKETING, and EVENT PRODUCE. We are committed to
adding value to our clients' businesses and products and increasing sales. BGE will co-create your new
business by utilizing the BGE network with the latest overseas trends as the axis of entertainment and
technology. Let's fly from Japan to the world together and create the future.
Onitsuka Tiger
Onitsuka Tiger creates sports inspired fashion in the pursuit of ultimate comfort and innovative design. The
style symbolizes our respect to our heritage and our admiration for refined and contemporary creative styles.
Innovative technologies in our products lie where the eyes cannot see. Our full line of products is one of a
kind from head to toe. They come to life through craftsmanship that obsesses over quality and detail. We
answer the cravings of those who look for a “new luxury”.
HISTORY OF THE BRAND
Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger continues to present a contemporary collection that combines
fashion with sports, and heritage with innovation. In 1949, Kihachiro Onitsuka established Onitsuka Co.,
Ltd., the forerunner of ASICS. The brand began with a commitment to promoting youth health, and since
then, the Onitsuka Tiger Stripes have become synonymous with one of the most world-renowned athletic
brands. The legend lives on today in the fusion of Japanese heritage and modern flair. With designs ranging
from updated classic silhouettes to refreshing new styles and collaborations with like-minded artists and
cultural connoisseurs, the spirit of Japan resonates in each new collection of Onitsuka Tiger shoes, apparel
and accessories.
The wording “Onitsuka Tiger” and the logo of “Onitsuka Tiger” used herein are registered trademarks of
ASICS Corporation.
The stripe design featured on the sides of the Onitsuka Tiger shoes is a registered trademark of
ASICS Corporation.
Media Contact:
Faith So
Brand Communications Executive
rusticafaith.so@sonak.com.ph
Ishina Buxani
Marketing Director
Ishina.buxani@sonak.com.ph
