Haori

The exhibition Haori. Men's clothes from the early 20th century narrate Japan is an immersion in the refined Japanese textile cultureoffering a novel perspective on men's clothing from the Meiji and Taishō eras. Through about 50 haori and jubanfrom the Manavello collection, the public is guided on a journey through the Early 20th century Japanhistorical moment marked by great social and political transformations. The clothes on show are not mere artefacts: they reveal themselves cultural testimonies, historical documentsand instruments of visual storytellingrich in symbolism and details that reveal the intimacy of the wearer.

Alongside the clothes, a selection of works by contemporary artists - including Kimsooja, Tobias Rehberger, Royce Ng e Wang Tuo - reflects and amplifies the underlying meanings of the exhibits, linking historical memory to current cultural tensions. The route is further enriched with a music and performance programme and content that can also be used in LISmaking the experience accessible and dynamic.

The exhibition thus aims to deconstructing the western imaginary on Japan, contrasting the romantic and traditionalist view with a more complex and layered narrative, where themenswear is the bearer of propaganda, modernity, national pride e collective memory.