Sugiue Ako | Soup is Life
An exhibition linking soup to clothing, food, shelter, and the womb, exploring body and environment.Summary
The "Soup is Life" exhibition at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT examined the fundamental connections between clothing, food, shelter, and the womb by using soup as a metaphor. Curated by Natsumi Toyama, a designer for Issey Miyake and author of "Potage – Family Soup with Lots of Vegetables," the show reinterpreted the womb as a living space, the amniotic sac as clothing, and amniotic fluid as food. Gallery 1 featured the installation "Beginning Soup," themed "Being Wrapped," while Gallery 2 presented a primitive dwelling with a roof made of paper mixed with earth and fire projected on the ceiling. Visitors stepped into a large cloth‑lined sitting area, removed their shoes, and engaged with the concept of soup as a unifying element. The exhibition evoked a warm, almost blissful atmosphere but also highlighted the stark contrast between pastoral displays and real‑world issues such as soil contamination, ecological destruction, and food globalization, urging viewers to reflect on and act upon their relationship with food.
(Source：artscape)