Echoes of Wa

Spazio Nobile opens its 2026-2027 exhibition programme with Echoes of Wa, a duo show between Dutch-born, Kyoto-based textile artist Mae Engelgeer & Japanese Master ceramicist Matsubayashi Hosai XVI. Concurrently, in the Studiolo, is an exhibition of work by Chisato Yasui titled Monad, a collection of hand-built and painted ceramic sculptures. These are the first exhibitions of The Asian Season, a series of shows that the gallery will present between Brussels and Paris, including Asia Now, in October, that trace a shared meditation on material, ritual and identity across Japan, Taiwan and the wider diaspora.

Echoes of Wa showcases a fresh perspective on Japanese craftsmanship and contemporary creation through a collection of works by Engelgeer and Matsubayashi, including ceramic tea cups, bowls and vases, wall hangings, trays and paper lanterns. The exhibition reflects the Japanese concept of Wa, referring to balance, serenity and a dialogue with nature. Since her first visit to Kyoto 10-years ago, (and where she now lives), Engelgeer has been steadily immersing her practice within Japanese craft traditions. This was reflected in UTSUROI HYMN, from fragments to soft gestures in stillness, an exhibition at Ryosokuin, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, this spring, in which she transformed textiles from the temple’s archive into contemporary pieces that poetically merged old and new. Engelgeer notes that living in Kyoto has led to her having “a quieter lifestyle, with more time to think and develop ideas.” Overtime, this has led to opportunities to collaborate with heritage brands, discover historic archives and deeper connections with craftspeople. For Echoes of Wa, Engelgeer’s first exhibition with Spazio Nobile Gallery, the artist collaborated with several of Kyoto’s most revered artisans, including Kojima Shoten, a workshop with over 220-years of tradition, on a series of chochin, a reinterpretation of the traditional Japanese hanging scrolls, and Takesada Shoten, a workshop founded in Kyoto in 1877 and specialises in bamboo craftsmanship. In addition, Engelgeer presents a selection of Totan Wall textiles, striking, three-dimensional wall hangings that were inspired by corrugated tin walls that are seen across Japan. Made in collaboration with the heritage textile brand, Hosoo, with whom the artist has been collaborating for several years now, these wall-hangings take on a very delicate, subtle colour and weave the belie the complex technical process that the artisans created to realise them.

Matsubayashi Hosai XVI is the 16th-generation head master of the historic Asahiyaki kiln, Uji, South of Kyoto, which has carried a prestigious 400-year-old legacy since its founding in 1600. Succeeding to the master title in 2016, his craftsmanship is deeply anchored in “Kirei-sabi” (beauty and simplicity), the 17th-century aesthetic philosophy of tea ceremony master Kobori Enshu. He crafts his vessels using local Uji clay that was harvested by his ancestors and aged for over 50-years. Matsubayashi Hosai XVI is steeped in tradition, yet he has also known for his innovative approach to ceramics, including sculptural forms that reflect his skilled mastery, as well as with glazes, including his signature Geppaku (Moon White) glaze.

For Echoes of Wa, Engelgeer and Matsubayashi Hosai XVI collaborated on a new series of kakehanaire (hanging flower vases) that explore the vertical line structures found throughout Kyoto’s architectural landscape. The linear, ceramic vases resemble natural wood branches and are subtly carved and decorated, with restrained patterns, markings and accents of gold and silver. The hanging vase creates a new approach to displaying flowers, appreciating their beauty, and integrating them into the room.

Together, the exhibition is a study in contemplation, tradition and innovation between two artists who filter history within their unique contemporary sensibilities. Echoes of Wa and Monad were part of Rendez-Vous Brussels Art Week (September 11-13) and are officially endorsed by the 160 Years of Friendship between Japan and Belgium in 2026, anchoring Spazio Nobile’s programme within this wider cultural dialogue.

Echoes of Wa and Monad are on view through November 15th, 2026.

For more information:

Spazio Nobile Gallery

@spazionobilegallery