Ann Veronica Janssens' '5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo' Exhibition at Hermès Ginza Explores Light and Perception
Artist Ann Veronica Janssens is set to captivate audiences with her debut solo exhibition in Japan, titled "5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo," at the esteemed Ginza Maison Hermès in Tokyo. This showcase, running from September 11, 2026, to January 11, 2027, will feature a collection of over ten works, encompassing both new creations and selections from her prolific career dating back to the 1990s. Janssens' signature approach involves transforming spaces by playing with elements that are inherently intangible: light, air, and the very act of perception itself, challenging traditional notions of art and its interaction with the environment.
For decades, Janssens has meticulously investigated how minimal artistic intervention can profoundly reconfigure a room's dynamics. Initially experimenting with materials such as plywood, glass, and concrete, her artistic focus shifted dramatically in the early 1990s towards the ephemeral qualities of light, sound, and artificial fog. Rather than populating architectural spaces with solid objects, her installations are designed to blur their boundaries, employing reflection, transparency, and evolving atmospheric conditions to render the surrounding environment less predictable and more fluid, inviting viewers to engage with space in an entirely new way.
Illuminating the Immaterial: Janssens' Play with Light and Sensory Engagement
Among the compelling works on display is "Rose" (2007), an installation where precisely aimed spotlights pierce through suspended particles, giving dispersed light an almost tactile presence. Janssens consistently operates within this intriguing liminal space between the material and the immaterial, where a light beam can take on sculptural qualities, and an seemingly empty room suddenly acquires depth and substance. Another piece, "Untitled (blue glitter), open sculpture #1" (2015–2026), features blue micro-glitter spread across the floor, meticulously capturing the subtle nuances of changing light and the transient effects of movement, perspective, and the passage of time.
The exhibition further accentuates direct audience involvement with "Swings" (2000–2023), an installation comprising suspended seats crafted from rope and wood. These swings are coated with a heat-sensitive film that reacts to touch, allowing each visitor's interaction to momentarily alter the artwork. Janssens has long championed the idea of the observer as an active participant rather than a passive spectator, integrating movement, interaction, and the collective presence of other bodies as integral components of the exhibited work. In her vision, mere observation is insufficient; true perception demands active engagement and physical exploration of the space.
Crafting Invisible Architecture: Atmosphere and Sensation in Ginza
Additional works, including "Donut," further extend the exhibition's exploration into projected light, temporal experiences, and the less tangible elements that have come to define Janssens' artistic practice. Collectively, these installations meticulously orchestrate light, air, and spatial circulation to create what the Fondation d'entreprise Hermès aptly describes as a form of invisible architecture. This unique architectural experience is not defined by conventional walls and ceilings, but rather by subtle shifts in atmosphere and sensory perceptions. The deliberate use of a precise street address in the exhibition's title, "5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo," pointedly anchors this exploration of unstable perception to a very specific and fixed geographical point, creating a fascinating juxtaposition.
Janssens' experimental approach frequently converges with research into the intricate interplay between space, time, the body, and the brain, as exemplified by her co-founding of the Brain Space Laboratory with Nathalie Ergino in 2009. However, at Ginza Maison Hermès, the power of her work lies in its immediate experiential impact, requiring minimal explanation. Visitors witness glitter shimmering with movement, light gaining tangible volume, surfaces responding to interaction, and the architecture itself becoming unexpectedly permeable. The exhibition, offering free admission, invites everyone to immerse themselves in this captivating experience through January 11, 2027, on the eighth and ninth floors of Ginza Maison Hermès.