The Group Show Explores Beauty In Imperfection Through The Work Of Nine Female Artists
Paul Smith Space in London will present Wabi-Sabi: Untangling the Meaning of Beauty, a group exhibition dedicated to the Japanese philosophy of imperfection, opening June 5 and running through September 14 at the brand’s Albemarle Street store in Mayfair.
Curated by Marcelle Joseph, the exhibition brings together nine female artists — C Lucy R Whitehead, Chechu Álava, Gal Schindler, Grace Mattingly, Harriet Gillett, Lindsey Mendick, Sophie von Hellermann, and Susie Green — whose practices explore themes of intimacy, transience, and the quiet beauty found in imperfection.
Rooted in the Zen Buddhist tea ceremony of 15th-century Japan, the concept of wabi-sabi centers on simplicity, impermanence, and an appreciation for the incomplete. As Joseph explains, wabi suggests a “less is more” approach, while sabi reflects “an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in those that bear the mark of this impermanence.”
Across painting and sculpture, the exhibition examines how inner and outer worlds intersect, offering an alternative to conventional ideals of perfection. The works on view range from intimate figurative scenes to sculptural forms that challenge traditional aesthetics, collectively proposing a more reflective and grounded way of seeing.
According to Joseph, the participating artists have created “quiet, intimate artworks that clamor for beauty in everyday life.” She added: “Utilizing a spare organic line, a pale palette or a judicious use of negative space, these artists construct harbors of solace in their works in direct contrast to our increasingly chaotic time on planet Earth. This economy of line, form and composition in the works represents an understated aesthetics that could be interpreted as ‘wabi-sabi.’”
Situated within Paul Smith’s Albemarle Street store, Paul Smith Space continues to function as a cultural platform, extending the brand’s engagement with art and creative dialogue beyond fashion.