ADF (NPO Aoyama Design Forum) will present the ADF Art Gallery Project Vol.33 – Takeshi Sumi Solo Exhibition “concorde” at GARDE Gallery.

The French word concorde, meaning “harmony,” serves as the title and guiding concept of this solo exhibition by Takeshi Sumi. His artistic practice, which involves delicately altering photographs by hand—adding slits, embroidery, and sometimes even perforations—seeks to bridge the distance between photographer and subject, and ultimately between people. By transforming the structure of photography, which inherently positions the subject and the photographer in asymmetrical roles, Sumi attempts to weave harmony into these often fragmented relationships.

This exhibition presents not only photographic works but also a variety of pieces created using analog techniques. Each piece reflects Sumi’s bodily engagement with the medium, allowing for unintentional movements and moments of spontaneity to emerge as meaningful gestures. Through this process, the artist searches for unseen, felt phenomena—what could be described as “aura”—that arise from encounters with his subjects.

With concorde, Sumi invites viewers to explore new possibilities of harmony—ones that may only be visible through the very act of creating and viewing these works. The exhibition offers a quiet, contemplative lens through which to reflect on human relationships and our place in a visually saturated world.

Artist Profile | Takeshi Sumi
Born in Kyoto in 1981. After studying German literature at Meiji University, Sumi graduated from the Department of Information Design at Tama Art University. His work focuses on photography, using processes that emphasize sensory and physical experience.

He is the author of Sora ni Oyogu and Yubi to Hoshi (both published by Libro Arte), and has held numerous solo exhibitions including Les Fantasies – What Once Was There (2025, node hotel, Kyoto) and Photographs, lost and born (2023, hIDE GALLERY TOKYO).

Sumi has also participated in socially engaged art projects such as Silhouette Family (2023), a photography project centered on LGBTQ+ families. His works have been featured on book covers, including Polaris Falls from the Sky by Li Kotomi (Chikuma Shobo), and in advertising for JR Kyoto Isetan’s 20th anniversary campaign. His work is included in the collection of agnès b.

education
2009 Graduated from Tama art university
2004 Graduated from Meiji university

solo exhibitions
2025 'Les fantasiesʼ nodehotel, Kyoto
2024 'For a better worldʼ （hIDE）GALLERY TOKYO, Tokyo
2023 'Photographs, lost and born'（hIDE）GALLERY TOKYO, Tokyo
2023 'petit à petit 3ʼ gallery so, Nagoya
2022 'Light- Finger, Nature' Honenin Temple, Kyoto.
2022 'ART WORKSʼ KYOTO MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY Gallery Japanesque, Kyoto
2022 'PRINTEMPSʼ gallery so, Nagoya
2021 'PRESENTʼ Spectrum gallery, Osaka
2021 'Belle lumièreʼ abenoharukas-artgallery, Osaka
2021 'petit à petitʼ gallery so, Nagoya
2021 'haloʼ BOOK AND SONS, Tokyo
2020 'Les Fantaisiesʼ Galerie Grand EʼTerna, Paris
2019 'Fingers and Starsʼ gallery Main, Kyoto
2019 'Fingers and Starsʼ Galerie Grand EʼTerna, Paris
2016 'Existence is beyond thereflection and transmitted lightʼ sinpukan, Kyoto
2015 'Lumière et vousʼ Galerie Grand EʼTerna, Paris
2012 'Look at the skyʼ Overland Gallery, Tokyo
2012 'fly in the skyʼ Port Gallery T, Osaka
2011 'Light is blankʼ blanClass, Yokohama
2011 'Lightʼ Port Gallery T, Osaka
2010 'meteorʼ Planning gallery, bright room, Tokyo

two-person exhibitions
2023 'Deux lumièresʼ & Akira INUMARU, Gallery URO, Osaka
2022 'The paper slitsʼ & Kou ITO, s + arts, Tokyo
2021 'La Lumiere pour LʼAvenirʼ & Louise Claire WAGNER , MYD Gallery, Tokyo
2020 'Until we blend in with the worldʼ & Daiki NISHIMURA , Spectrum gallery, Osaka

group exhibitions
2022 'Nii Fine Arts 10th anniversary exhibition- Tokyo-ʼ 3331 Art Chiyoda , Tokyo
2022 'Tohaku's cherry blossoms and shades of springʼ
Kyoto Marugoto Museum, Myorenji Temple, Kyoto
2021 '3331 Art Fairʼ Nii Fine Arts, 3331 Art Chiyoda , Tokyo
2020 'Tokyo Curiosity 2020 Shibuyaʼ Bunkamura, Tokyo
2020 'galleryMain archive project #1ʼ gallery Main, Kyoto
2019 'Le Japonʼ Orangerie-Espace, Toulière, Verrires le Buisson・France
2018 'Shibuya- Curiosité de Tokyoʼ Mairie du 4e, Paris
2014 'TOKYO SHIBUYA LOVERS PHOTOGRAPHERSʼ Shionoe Museum of Art, Takamatsu

ART PROJECT
2023 Exhibition 'Silhouette Familyʼ collaborative project General association Kodomap, Japan

ART FAIRS
2024 KOBE ART MARCHE 2024,（hIDE） GALLERY TOKYO, Kobe
2024 ONE ART TAIPEI 2024,（hIDE） GALLERY TOKYO, Taipei
2023 ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA 2023,（hIDE） GALLERY TOKYO, Fukuoka
2023 Infinity Japan Contemporary Art Show 2023,（hIDE） GALLERY TOKYO, Taipei
2021 3331 Art Fair, Nii Fine Arts, Tokyo
2017 fotofever , gallery Main, Paris
2016 affordable art fair, NY
2012 no found photo fair, LibroArte, Paris
2012 TOKYO PHOTO 2012, LibroArte, Tokyo

collection
2013 agnes b.

Publications
2019.09 'fingers and starsʼ LibroArte
2012.10 'fly in the skyʼ LibroArte

Use Artworks
2023 THE FORWARD vol.6 magazine, Book cover, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha
2022 NISHIDA Tsukuru 'At the end of love（恋の終わりに）ʼ Book cover, GENTOSYA
2022 LI Kotomi 'While separated by a transparent membrane.（透明な膜を隔てながら）ʼ
Book cover, Hayakawa-syobou
2021 MORI Miki 'The Gods （神様たち）ʼ Book cover , Koubunsya
2020 Visual for the 20th anniversary renewal grand opening of JR Kyoto Isetan.
2020 LI Kotomi 'Polaris-drenched nights.（ポラリスが降り注ぐ夜）ʼ
Book cover , Chikuma-syobou
2020 GUNZO magazine, Vol. 75, No. 1. , Book cover, Koudansya
2019 SHINDOU Jyunjyou 'behaviour（ビヘイビア）ʼ
Book cover for electronic magazine,KADOKAWA,
2018 SHIMAMOTO Rio 'Spica for Anonymous.（匿名者のためのスピカ）ʼ
Book cover for Library edition , Syoudensya

Dates: Friday, May 30 – Saturday, June 14, 2025
Hours: 11:00〜18:00
Venue: GARDE Gallery (NBF ALLIANCE Building 4F, 5-2-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Admission: Free