Tadashi Kawamata (born 1953, Hokkaido, Japan) is a contemporary artist renowned for his sculptural installations. Often constructed from everyday materials such as wooden pallets, construction planks, metal, and cardboard, his work subtly and playfully explores the relationship between socio-economic conditions and architectural forms. After first studying oil painting at the Tokyo University of the Arts, Kawamata soon moved beyond the canvas, turning to wood, found materials, and site-responsive forms of construction. Over four decades, his works have addressed questions of urban impermanence, ecological vulnerability, and the complex relationship between human civilisation and the natural world. Kawamata has gained international recognition for his site-specific works, often constructed from reclaimed wood and other found materials, which transform public spaces into immersive environments.
His sculptural works and installations invite viewers to engage with space in new ways, highlighting the transient nature of architecture and its impact on daily life. Notable projects include his "Chaises suspendues" at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and his "Tree Huts" series, which has been exhibited in various cities around the world, including New York and Tokyo.
Tadashi Kawamata lives and works between Japan and Paris. He has taught at both the Tokyo University of the Arts and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His work has been presented at major institutions including the Serpentine Gallery, London; Centre Pompidou-Metz; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Kunsthalle Recklinghausen; Kunsthaus Zug; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, among others. Kawamata represented Japan at the 40th Venice Biennale in 1982, and participated in Documenta VIII and Documenta IX in Kassel, as well as the Busan Biennale.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2026
Tadashi Kawamata, Mulier Mulier Gallery, Brussels
2024
Maquettes, Mulier Mulier Gallery, Knokke
2022
Tree Huts in Montpellier, Fondation GGL, Montpellier
Tadashi Kawamata: Nests in Milan, Milano, Italy
2020
Japan House, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2018
Over flow, MAAT, Lisbon
(I)Love Tower, La Villa Beatrix Enea, centre d’art contemporain à Anglet, Anglet, France
Nuageux, Château Malromé à Saint-André-du-Bois, France
Nest and Tree, Over the Influence, Hong Kong
2012
Tadashi Kawamata: Track and other recent projects, Mulier Mulier Gallery, Knokke
2003
Tadashi Kawamata: Ideas For Projects, Mulier Mulier Gallery, Knokke