On the occasion of Fuorisalone 2026, the Japanese Maison brings to the heart of Brera Design Week an exhibition journey that interprets the philosophy “The Nature of Time” through installations by three Japanese artists
On the occasion of Milan Design Week 2026, Grand Seiko – Official Timekeeper of Fuorisalone and Brera Design Week – presents at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna “Il Castello” an exhibition inspired by the philosophy The Nature of Time. Open to the public from April 21 to 26, in the heart of Brera, the project unfolds through a series of installations by three Japanese artists – Atsushi Shindo, Takakuni Kawahara and Shingo Abe – who, through their works, bring into dialogue nature, time and perception.
Grand Seiko’s philosophy, The Nature of Time, celebrates a distinctly Japanese spirituality of time. The concept of “nature”, understood both as essence and as environment, is reflected in both the Maison’s watchmaking and the exhibition, shaping a coherent vision between matter, gesture and knowledge. This vision takes form through three distinct yet complementary design practices.
Atsushi Shindo, interior designer, develops a research guided by the concept of “designing atmosphere”, moving across environments, objects and artistic experimentation, reinterpreting elements of everyday life to explore new expressive possibilities of materials and a more essential form of beauty.
Takakuni Kawahara, master artisan of washi paper and the sole direct heir to the Hiratani Washi tradition of Toyama Prefecture, brings a deeply material approach in which manual craftsmanship becomes the expression of a transmitted body of knowledge, also recognised at an international level.
Shingo Abe, filmmaker and CG director, combines a strong conceptual vision with an essential and minimalist visual language, developed across video, installations and theatre productions, characterised by a strong narrative impact.
In this interplay between design, craftsmanship, and image, time is not merely represented, but experienced—a dimension rooted in Japanese sensibility and in a deep dialogue with nature, finding its expression in the savoir-faire of the takumi, the master artisans who imbue every Grand Seiko creation with soul.
