Esteemed Japanese design studio nendo’s latest exhibition, ‘un-printed material’, portrays the marvels of the paper material. Held across three rooms in Creation Gallery G8 – a gallery dedicated to visual communication in Ginza, Tokyo – ‘un-printed material’ revolves around the idea of having a “poster exhibition without posters,” in a bid to present the essence of paper from a different perspective.

The conceptual exhibition effectively puts forth the various possibilities of paper without actually using the paper material itself. Expressed through the visual language of 3D printing, various paper outlines from folded paper to torn paper with feathery layers, and three-dimensional forms of paper are displayed.

The first room greets the visitor with 30 A1-sized posters in torn and shredded states, scattered in midair. The second room portrays large ‘postcards’, each showcasing one of five different paper modifications. Further stimulating the visitor’s imagination, the final room collects the various 3D forms that paper can be made into, such as milk cartons, paper cups, paper bags, and origami figures.

‘un-printed material’ prompts visitors to contemplate their impressions and memories of paper. “Our hope is that this provides an opportunity [for visitors] to realise how fun and fulfilling it is to observe and see things in a different way,” says nendo.

Helmed by Oki Sato, nendo is a design studio established in 2002, with a goal to give people small ‘!’ moments through their work in the fields of architecture, interiors, products, graphics, and more. The studio’s works have graced the collections of many major museums around the world, including MOMA New York and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

Photography by Akihiro Yoshida

‘un-printed material’ by nendo is held from Wednesday, 12 October to Thursday, 17 November 2016, from 11am to 7pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Free admission.