LACMA Opened Textile Alchemy Exhibition
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art showcase features over 100 textiles from Reiko Sudō and the NUNO collective.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Fine Art
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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has opened the Textile Alchemy exhibition, highlighting the innovative work of designer Reiko Sudō and her NUNO collective. The display explores textile traditions and sustainability through a wide array of raw materials and finished design objects.
Why it matters
This exhibition serves to elevate textiles from functional fabric to significant artistic and cultural objects. By centering on the design processes of the NUNO collective, the show provides a rare look at how traditional craft intersects with modern technical experimentation.
The collection includes over 100 limited-edition textiles and features prototypes dating back to the group's founding in 1984. Custom elements include chrome-sputtered curtains designed for the David Geffen Galleries.
The players
Reiko Sudō
She is a renowned textile designer and the founder of the Japanese design collective NUNO.
LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the western United States.
NUNO
This Tokyo-based textile design firm is celebrated for blending traditional Japanese craftsmanship with contemporary industrial technology.
Ann Hamilton
She is an acclaimed visual artist and educator who oversaw the exhibition design for this installation.
The details
Guided by visual artist Ann Hamilton, the exhibition hub features a recreation of the original 1984 NUNO shop alongside sketches, tools, and raw materials. The installation includes specific functional designs, such as curtains engineered by Sudō to control visual light transmission within the galleries.
Timeline
1984: The NUNO collective was founded.
1987: Sudō began her collaborative work with Japanese artisans.
1990: The Stainless Steel Gloss textile line was first issued.
2026: The Textile Alchemy exhibition opened at LACMA.
Industry Dynamics
The exhibition follows the design evolution set by the 1984 founding of the NUNO collective, marking over four decades of material innovation. It highlights the shift toward sustainable and experimental textile production that has defined the firm's global legacy.
Visitors can experience the installation at the David Geffen Galleries, which features custom curtains designed specifically for the space. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for local design students and collectors to view the archived technical prototypes firsthand.
The takeaway
The show demonstrates how archival tools and sketches can be transformed into immersive displays that bridge history and modern manufacturing. Visitors are encouraged to observe the material details of the textiles to better understand the labor-intensive traditions of Japanese craftsmanship.
Further reading
For more on local exhibitions, visit the Fine Art section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Artdaily.
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