KIMONO: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse
Lower Level Galleries
August 18 - November 8, 2026
Japanese kimono is one of the world’s most admired garments—an instantly recognizable robe with a tall “T” form. Worn in Japan by women and men for well over 1,000 years, the kimono has been a canvas for spectacular woven, dyed, painted, printed, and embroidered designs by Japan’s textile artists. After the late nineteenth century, when Japan opened to foreign diplomacy and trade, kimonos also became beloved in the West, as subjects for painters and inspiration for fashion designers. In recent decades, the influence of the kimono has even reached the work of contemporary artists around the world, who are creating kimono-inspired works in such diverse media as paper, fiber, metal, glass, and ceramic. This exhibition will explore the kimono as a garment in Japanese history and culture, present it as canvas for spectacular design and messaging, and will showcase the extraordinary works of ten international contemporary artists whose works of painting, sculpture, and fiber art have all been inspired in fascinating ways by this iconic garment.
KIMONO: Garment, Canvas, and Artistic Muse and its tour are organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC, in cooperation with the Curator, Meher McArthur
