Past Exhibition

The Shiseido Gallery will hold a series of special exhibitions to introduce some of the creative work that Shiseido has produced over the years.

The first of these exhibitions, "In-between: Shiseido Magazine Advertisements from the 1970s," will be held from June 6 (Tue) to July 30 (Sun), 2023, focusing on Shiseido's creative works from the 1970s. This exhibition will present approximately 150 graphic and visual advertisements for Shiseido's leading brands of the 1970s, including CHIFFONETTE, MG5 (men's cosmetics), BRAVUS, and MORE (perfume), and will create a fascinating space that sparks viewers' imaginations through the gaps and empty spaces between the visual images and their accompanying text in these advertisements.

Visual images and advertising copy will be exhibited at the venue, which will also feature a visual and sound installation by the graphic designer/artist Yuudai Osawa, a member of the recently popular ambient music group "UNKNOWN ME," the producer/architect H. Takahashi, and the visual artist Yasushi Harada. This dynamic method of showing Shiseido's creative works from the 1970s alongside contemporary ambient music will bring new surprises and discoveries.

In the 1970s, the magazine emerged as a medium that influenced the fashion and lifestyles of young people. Beautiful magazine spreads with numerous color photo layouts attracted readers and created many trends.

Shiseido developed a series of advertisements based on these current trends. There was very little focus on the products themselves; instead, a fascinating narrative emerged from the gaps and empty spaces between the visual images and their accompanying ad copy. Furthermore, this series of advertisements demonstrated Shiseido’s unique worldview and solidified their brand image.

Today, the Internet and social networking services (SNS) have become the dominant means of communication, and efficiency has become paramount in communication. Advertising tends to favor concise, direct, and simple expressions. However, the artistic expressions of Shiseido’s 1970s magazine advertisements are full of empty spaces and ambiguities akin to haiku (rich expressions created by blank spaces without expression), which are familiar to Japanese people, as well as to Avant Garde Dadaism (expressions intentionally devoid of meaning) and Surrealism (strange expressions disconnected from reality).

This exhibition features approximately 150 works selected from Shiseido's advertisements from this period, and showcases the artistic appeal of the elegance, sensuality, and humor that emanates from them.

In memory of the actor Jiro Dan, who passed away on March 22 this year, Shiseido will also present a special film that features his Shiseido advertisements. These stylish advertisements that launched Mr. Dan's acting career feel as fresh today as they did when they were made.

Shiseido will continue to plan exhibitions that highlight the creativity of these and other Shiseido advertisements in the coming years.

*The next exhibition at the Shiseido Gallery, centered on the work of Masayoshi Nakajo, will take place from August 22 (Tue) to October 15 (Sun), 2023.

(The following notation, C: Copywriter, Ph: Photographer, AD: Art Director, D: Designer, ST: Stylist, M: Model)

Kazuhiko Ota and Bishin Jumonji talk about the “Heretical Shiseido Advertisement”
- From the 1973 CHIFFONETTE magazine advertisement

Date and time: Friday, June 16, 2023, 18:00-19:00
Venue: Shiseido Gallery
Capacity: 50 people (first-come-first-served basis)
Admission: free
Registration will be available on the Shiseido Gallery website from the end of May 2023.

“BAR S” x " In-between: Shiseido Magazine Advertisements from the 1970s”
At BAR S on the 11th floor of the Tokyo Ginza Shiseido Building (same building as the Shiseido Gallery), guests can enjoy three original cocktails inspired by advertisements for the "MORE" perfume series.
Available from June 6 (Tue) to July 29 (Sat), 2023