Beyond Our Horizons: Simone Pheulpin at la Galerie du 19M Tokyo

From September 30 to October 20, 2025, la Galerie du 19M takes up residence on the 52nd floor of Tokyo’s Mori Tower, presenting Beyond Our Horizons — a captivating exhibition that brings together thirty French and Japanese artists and artisans. Among them is celebrated French textile artist Simone Pheulpin, whose intricate sculptural work forms a highlight of the show.

As part of the cultural and artistic programming of le19M, this Tokyo edition of the gallery offers a space for creative dialogue across cultures and disciplines, placing the spotlight on Métiers d’art — the exceptional crafts at the heart of fashion and design.

A Meeting of Mastery: Simone Pheulpin and Maison Goossens

At the center of the exhibition is Leiko, a sculptural triptych created by Simone Pheulpin in collaboration with Maison Goossens, the historic Parisian atelier known for its expertise in jewelry and metalwork. Goossens is one of the eleven Maisons d’art that reside at le19M in Paris, a hub founded by CHANEL to celebrate and sustain traditional craftsmanship.

Inspired by Pheulpin’s long-running Croissance series, Leiko consists of three circular sculptures (each 25 cm in diameter), exploring the dialogue between textile and metal:

• The first piece is composed of meticulously folded strips of raw cotton, held in place by a hidden framework of pins — a technique unique to Pheulpin.

• The second sculpture introduces pewter to the cotton surface, representing the collaborative craftsmanship of Pheulpin and Nathalie Abscheidt, head of workshop and model maker at Goossens.

• The final piece is rendered entirely in pewter, transforming metal into something that astonishingly resembles fabric.

Together, these works create a powerful conversation between materiality and illusion — an interplay of softness and solidity, tradition and innovation. “Discovering the pewter artwork, created from the original cotton piece, was a truly unforgettable surprise,” Pheulpin remarked of the collaboration.

Simone Pheulpin: Folding Time and Texture

Born in the Vosges region of France, Simone Pheulpin has spent more than fifty years creating sculptural works from a single, humble material: raw, monochrome cotton. Through thousands of tiny folds and hidden pins, she transforms fabric into fossil-like forms, evoking stone, bark, coral, and other natural textures.

Her works are as meticulous as they are mysterious, often likened to geological formations or relics unearthed from the earth. This economy of means — cotton, pins, patience — results in artworks that blur the line between the organic and the man-made.

Pheulpin is represented by maison parisienne and has received numerous accolades, including the Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris and the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. Her works are held in prestigious institutions such as the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

la Galerie du 19M Tokyo: A Cultural Space in the Sky

Bringing le19M’s mission to the international stage, la Galerie du 19M Tokyo transforms the Mori Tower’s 52nd floor into an immersive space dedicated to celebrating the Métiers d’art. The gallery is a free, open, and inclusive venue designed to inspire and educate audiences about the rich traditions of artisanal excellence.

With Beyond Our Horizons, visitors are invited to experience a unique intersection of craft and contemporary creation, as seen through the hands of exceptional artists like Simone Pheulpin.

🗓 Exhibition Dates: September 30 – October 20, 2025
📍 Location: la Galerie du 19M Tokyo, Mori Tower, 52nd Floor
🎟 Admission: Free and open to all