"Industrial Romanticism 2" exhibition to open this fall

AXIS Inc. (located in Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Mitsuhira Shimazaki), which will hold "Industrial Romanticism 2" exhibition this fall at AXIS Gallery. The exhibition will bring together previously unreleased prototypes created by in-house designers from eight companies.

The title "Romanticism" reflects the exhibition's belief that the future should not be shaped solely by social trends or technological progress. Instead, it turns its attention to the dreams, aspirations, and sense of wonder that drive designers to create new values. Through this perspective on "romanticism," the exhibition aims to explore the infinite potential of design.
On view are previously unreleased prototypes conceived by designers working at the forefront of product development in their respective companies. Created through a process of personal reflection and experimentation, these works serve as a starting point for a broader conversation, one that reaches beyond industrial design and the role of the in-house designer to ask a larger question: What kind of design does our society need today? We hope the exhibition will provide a space for visitors to reflect, discuss, and engage with this question together.

This exhibition will be held following the inaugural event in autumn 2025, with participation expanded to companies from a broader range of industries.

＜Director's Message＞

I believe that the visions imagined by designers carry within them a determination to make those dreams a reality. When these pure aspirations of individuals come together, they may reveal a vision of the future that extends beyond economic growth and technological advancement, emerging instead as a cultural expression of what lies ahead.
Love for people, affection for objects, inspiration from experiences, and respect for nature. Believing in the potential of industrial design that begins with human emotions and sensibilities, I hope this exhibition will serve as a small catalyst for a broader cultural movement.
YOSHIKI MATSUYAMA 

Designers shape the future by moving fluidly between personal expression and public value, viewing the two as inherently connected. In this exhibition, we look even further ahead, capturing the uncertainties and subtle shifts that lie within an unpredictable future. Infused with respect for the past, empathy for the future, and the romance of pure human emotion, these works are presented as signs of new possibilities.
We hope to share these compelling fragments of the future, created beyond the boundaries of individual companies, and to provide an opportunity for everyone to come together and engage in a meaningful conversation about a future that is both inspiring and deeply human.
RYOTA YOKOZEKI 

＜Major exhibits＞

・Prototypes created by designers from participating companies
・Drawings and working models illustrating the original motifs behind the ideas and the design development process
・And more

＜Program of events during the exhibition＞

・Cross-talk session featuring design center directors from participating companies
・Cross-talk session featuring exhibiting designers
・Student Night: An informal networking opportunity for students to engage with designers from participating companies
・And more

A second press release is scheduled for distribution in late September 2026.