Side Gallery

Side Gallery is thrilled to presents its new exhibition at the gallery space in Barcelona, showcasing the work of pioneering Japanese designers whose vision helped define modern design in postwar Japan.In the decades following World War II, Japan underwent a profound transformation. The rapid economic growth of the 1960s—often called the Japanese Economic Miracle—brought modernization, urbanization, and a new middle class eager to embrace contemporary ways of living. This was not only a period of economic renewal but also of cultural reinvention: a collective effort to rebuild Japan’s aesthetic identity within a modern, global context.

Within this dynamic environment, Japanese furniture design flourished as a bridge between the old and the new. Figures such as Isamu Kenmochi, Junzo Sakakura, Daisaku Choh, Riki Watanabe, Ubunji Kidokoro, and Katsuo Matsumura reimagined domestic life through objects that reflected both modern sensibilities and enduring Japanese values. Their work absorbed Western modernist ideas while remaining deeply rooted in the principles of mingei—the folk craft movement that celebrated the quiet beauty of everyday, handcrafted objects.

The result was a distinctly Japanese form of modernism: one that valued structure over ornament, simplicity over decoration, tactility over spectacle, and the poetic balance between nature and technology. This synthesis continues to inspire generations of designers worldwide, affirming Japan’s unique role in shaping the global narrative of modern design.

"Not Far" is a solo exhibition by Japanese ceramic artist Kodai Ujiie, presented by SIDE GALLERY from 4 June to 20 September 2026 at its Barcelona space. Featuring a new body of work, the exhibition explores transformation, material experimentation and the space between emergence and completion. Through hand-built forms, layered surfaces and organic asymmetries, Ujiie challenges conventional distinctions between functional object and sculpture, embracing imperfection and process as essential elements of making. "Not Far" reflects on ceramics as a field of continuous discovery, where change and experimentation become meaningful outcomes.

Side Gallery’s presentation for The Only True Protest Is Beauty (2026), curated by Dries Van Noten and Geert Bruloot at Palazzo Pisani Moretta, brings together works by Nifemi Marcus-Bello, Virginia Leonard, Hyeokjin Jung, and Xavier Mañosa to explore beauty as a force of provocation and transformation. Through material experimentation and craftsmanship, the presentation creates a dialogue between objects and space, reflecting on the emotional and critical potential of contemporary design.

Side Gallery is thrilled to presents its new exhibition at the gallery space in Barcelona, showcasing the work of pioneering Japanese designers whose vision helped define modern design in postwar Japan.In the decades following World War II, Japan underwent a profound transformation. The rapid economic growth of the 1960s—often called the Japanese Economic Miracle—brought modernization, urbanization, and a new middle class eager to embrace contemporary ways of living. This was not only a period of economic renewal but also of cultural reinvention: a collective effort to rebuild Japan’s aesthetic identity within a modern, global context.

Within this dynamic environment, Japanese furniture design flourished as a bridge between the old and the new. Figures such as Isamu Kenmochi, Junzo Sakakura, Daisaku Choh, Riki Watanabe, Ubunji Kidokoro, and Katsuo Matsumura reimagined domestic life through objects that reflected both modern sensibilities and enduring Japanese values. Their work absorbed Western modernist ideas while remaining deeply rooted in the principles of mingei—the folk craft movement that celebrated the quiet beauty of everyday, handcrafted objects.

The result was a distinctly Japanese form of modernism: one that valued structure over ornament, simplicity over decoration, tactility over spectacle, and the poetic balance between nature and technology. This synthesis continues to inspire generations of designers worldwide, affirming Japan’s unique role in shaping the global narrative of modern design.

Side Gallery is thrilled to open its new exhibition at the gallery space in Barcelona, showcasing the work of Belgian designer Arnaud Eubelen. Tracking Habits presents a new series of functional objects that explore the overlooked gestures and unconscious routines that shape our daily lives.

Known for his thoughtful use of reclaimed urban materials, Eubelen works with salvaged metals, worn glass, discarded concrete, and exposed electrical components to create pieces that merge raw functionality with poetic intention. Through visible construction processes, unconventional ergonomics, and a deliberate sense of fragility, his works invite a renewed awareness of movement, touch, and space.