Susumu Shingu. Elated!
Japan Society, New York City, 2025
Clients: Japan Society
Curator: Dr. Michele Bambling
Senior Gallery Director
Research: Naomi Kuromiya
Senior Research Associate
Exhibition Logistics: Stefani Oh
Gallery Associate
Gallery Interns: Yeeun Joo, Grace Kim, Stephanie Wang
Lighting Design: Takaaki Ando
Fabrication: Isaac Dunne, Jake Reed
Installation & Art Handling: WittsART
Vinyl Installation: DaSign Guy
With special thanks to: Susumu Shingu, Yasuko Shingu and Sota Yoshii
Photo Credits: Go Sugimoto Studio
Curtesy: Japan society
Susumu Shingu: Elated! presents the dynamic sculptures of acclaimed artist Susumu Shingu in his first solo museum exhibition in New York City. This joyful and immersive exhibition showcases mesmerizing works that render visible the invisible forces of wind, heat, and gravity—encouraging a heightened awareness of the natural world.
Shingu’s use of biomimicry—drawing inspiration from natural forms and processes—is evident in both the shapes and movements of his sculptures. These works evoke a range of living and celestial entities, including insects, birds, sea creatures, flowers, plants, clouds, stars, and moons.
The exhibition design seeks to support and enhance the presence of the sculptures in the most subtle and respectful way. The spaces are conceived to resonate with the specific characteristics of the artworks—whether they are cinematic, 360-degree kinetic sculptures or intimate collections of study models presented as though within an open archive.
A key but discreet aspect of the exhibition design is the integration of an invisible ventilation system, allowing the sculptures to respond naturally to air currents without the presence of visible mechanical elements. This design approach underscores the exhibition’s ethos: to create a dialogue between art, environment, and viewer, in harmony with Shingu’s poetic vision.