tadashi kawamata's avalanche of chairs tumbles in paris

avalanche: a Deluge of Wooden Chairs in Motion

Dover Street Market Paris has hosted Avalanche, a site-specific installation by renowned Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata. Presented in collaboration with Phileo Paris and Adidas, this temporary work transforms the courtyard of the iconic Parisian location to create a dialogue art, architecture, and fashion.

The installation takes its name from the hundreds of wooden chairs spilling out from a window into the courtyard below. These chairs create the illusion of a large wave, a dynamic mass of furniture crashing through the architectural space. The wooden chairs, a recurrent material in Kawamata’s work, form a dramatic and chaotic visual as they surge around large grey cylinders, further enhancing the effect of movement and displacement.

images © Dover Street Market

Tadashi Kawamata’s Recurring Themes and Materials

Wood, especially in the form of repurposed or recycled materials, plays a central role not just with Avalanche, but in Tadashi Kawamata’s larger body of work. With this latest installation at Dover Street Market, the chairs act as both medium and metaphor, a literal and figurative representation of overwhelming force. Avalanche, which was on display from September 21st until October 5th, exemplifies the artist‘s consistent exploration of architectural intervention, using familiar objects to transform public spaces and challenge perceptions of everyday environments.

Avalanche is supported by PHILÉO Paris and Adidas, with the backing of the Mennour art gallery. This collaboration between Kawamata and Adidas extends to the design of a special edition sneaker, further linking the worlds of contemporary art and fashion. The work also showcases the architectural influence of designer Philéo Landowski, whose approach to footwear design complements Kawamata’s vision.

Set within the courtyard of Dover Street Market Paris, the installation takes full advantage of the intimate, historic setting. The space, flanked by pillars and designed with an eye toward organic integration, amplifies the impact of the tumbling chairs. The collaboration between Kawamata and the venue highlights the interplay between art and architecture, while also nodding to the cultural significance of the location at 35-37 rue des Francs Bourgeois.

Tadashi Kawamata’s Avalanche installation displayed at Dover Street Market Paris until October 5th