Sonia Delaunay

Everything Is Feeling

On View
Sep 5 – Oct 18, 2025
Tokyo
 
 
Pace is pleased to present an exhibition of work by the late French modernist Sonia Delaunay at its Tokyo gallery from September 5 to October 18. A trailblazing artist of the 20th century, Delaunay nurtured a lifelong interest in the emotional, psychological, and phenomenological dimensions of color, and, though she trained as a painter, she is also widely known for her textiles and fashion designs.

Taking its title from a quotation by Delaunay, Pace’s presentation in Tokyo will feature a selection of her works on paper—created between the 1920s and 1940s—which served as studies for her commercial fabric designs. Organized in collaboration with Gió Marconi Gallery, this exhibition will showcase the artist’s visionary approach to color, pattern, and abstraction in relation to Japan’s unique aesthetic history.

Born in the Ukrainian village of Gradizhsk in 1885, Delaunay’s parents sent her to live with her uncle in St. Petersburg when she was seven years old. She studied in Germany as a teenager and subsequently moved to Paris, where she presented her first solo exhibition in 1908, married fellow artist Robert Delaunay in 1910, and would live and work for most of her life. The pair developed what they termed “simultanéisme,” or “simultanism,” —soon after called Orphism—a non-representation mode of making art that centered on chromatic relationships and contrasts. Embracing this philosophy in her work until her death in 1979, Delaunay charted new courses for the avant-garde with her lyrical, madcap paintings and textile designs.

“We had rediscovered the moving principle of any work of art: the light, the movement of color,” she once said.

Pace’s presentation of some 40 works on paper by Delaunay will offer a window into the artist’s experimentations with form and material on an intimate scale. Depicting flowers, grids, starbursts, and otherworldly abstractions, these works— many of which are displayed in custom frames built by the gallerist Giorgio Marconi, who championed many artists, including Delaunay, during his lifetime—reflect the exploratory spirit that animated her practice for more than six decades.

Delaunay’s work is on view in the Museum of Modern Art in New York’s Woven Histories exhibition through September 13. She was also included in the Guggenheim Museum in New York’s recent exhibition Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930, and last year she was the subject of Sonia Delaunay: Living Art at the city’s Bard Graduate Center Gallery.

Pace’s exhibition of Delaunay’s work will run concurrently with a presentation by Leo Villareal at its Tokyo gallery, drawing connections between both artists’ use of abstraction to explore perception, pattern, rhythm, and illusionistic optical effects.

Fueled by a lifelong exploration of color’s emotional, psychological and phenomenological force, [Delaunay] translated the pulse of modern life into a kinesthetic, near-musical experience of abstraction.

 

Checklist

Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1926
1926, gouache on paper, 24 cm × 35 cm (9-7/16" × 13-3/4"), sheet 50 cm × 50 cm × 2.5 cm (19-11/16" × 19-11/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1924
1924, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 53 cm × 46 cm × 2.5 cm (20-7/8" × 18-1/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Foulard Gouache F 5231,
1928
1928, gouache on paper, 22 cm × 19.5 cm (8-11/16" × 7-11/16"), sheet 46.6 cm × 45 cm × 2.5 cm (18-3/8" × 17-11/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 51.5 cm × 44.5 cm × 3 cm (20-1/4" × 17-1/2" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1923
1923, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 53.5 cm × 45.5 cm × 2.5 cm (21-1/16" × 17-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Projet Gouache F 5160,
1925
1942, gouache on tracing paper, 12.5 cm × 16.5 cm (4-15/16" × 6-1/2"), sheet 37.5 cm × 41 cm × 3 cm (14-3/4" × 16-1/8" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1925
1925, gouache on paper, 9 cm × 8 cm (3-9/16" × 3-1/8"), sheet 45 cm × 51.5 cm × 2.5 cm (17-11/16" × 20-1/4" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Carrè Gouache n°F5260 - Variante del “Libro nero III”,
1926
1926, gouache on paper, 25.5 cm × 20 cm (10-1/16" × 7-7/8"), sheet 53.5 cm × 45.5 cm × 2.5 cm (21-1/16" × 17-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1927
1927, gouache on paper, 31 cm × 25 cm (12-3/16" × 9-13/16"), sheet 45 cm × 43 cm × 2.5 cm (17-11/16" × 16-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Studio grafico per texture,
1927
1942, pencil on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52.5 cm × 45 cm × 2 cm (20-11/16" × 17-11/16" × 13/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1928
1928, gouache on paper, 20.5 cm × 20 cm (8-1/16" × 7-7/8"), sheet 61.5 cm × 58 cm × 3 cm (24-3/16" × 22-13/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Foulard Gouache n. F5273,
1928
1928, gouache on paper, 27.5 cm × 21 cm (10-13/16" × 8-1/4"), sheet 54.5 cm × 46 cm × 2.5 cm (21-7/16" × 18-1/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Projet Gouache n. F 5254 - Varianten. 225, “Libro nero III”,
1928
1928, gouache on paper, 26.5 cm × 20.5 cm (10-7/16" × 8-1/16"), sheet 54 cm × 46 cm × 2.5 cm (21-1/4" × 18-1/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1929
1929, gouache on paper, 27.5 cm × 18 cm (10-13/16" × 7-1/16"), sheet 54 cm × 44.5 cm × 3.5 cm (21-1/4" × 17-1/2" × 1-3/8"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1929
1929, gouache on paper, 9 cm × 7.5 cm (3-9/16" × 2-15/16"), sheet 41 cm × 39 cm × 2.5 cm (16-1/8" × 15-3/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1929
1929, gouache on paper, 8.5 cm × 6.5 cm (3-3/8" × 2-9/16"), sheet 40 cm × 38 cm × 2.5 cm (15-3/4" × 14-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1929
1929, gouache on paper, 9 cm × 6.5 cm (3-9/16" × 2-9/16"), sheet 40 cm × 37.5 cm × 2.5 cm (15-3/4" × 14-3/4" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1929
1929, gouache on paper, 8 cm × 7 cm (3-1/8" × 2-3/4"), sheet 54 cm × 45.5 cm × 3 cm (21-1/4" × 17-15/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1932
1932, gouache on paper, 17.5 cm × 11 cm (6-7/8" × 4-5/16"), sheet 44.5 cm × 38 cm × 2.5 cm (17-1/2" × 14-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1932
1932, gouache on paper, 13.5 cm × 13 cm (5-5/16" × 5-1/8"), sheet 41.8 cm × 42.2 cm × 2.5 cm (16-7/16" × 16-5/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1932
1932, gouache on paper, 33 cm × 25 cm (13" × 9-13/16"), sheet 53 cm × 44 cm × 3 cm (20-7/8" × 17-5/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 44 cm × 42 cm × 2.5 cm (17-5/16" × 16-9/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 20.5 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/16"), sheet 42 cm × 41 cm × 2.5 cm (16-9/16" × 16-1/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 42.5 cm × 37 cm × 3 cm (16-3/4" × 14-9/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, crayon on paper, 10.5 cm × 12 cm (4-1/8" × 4-3/4"), sheet 60.5 cm × 42 cm × 3 cm (23-13/16" × 16-9/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 51.5 cm × 44.5 cm × 3 cm (20-1/4" × 17-1/2" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 21 cm × 13.5 cm (8-1/4" × 5-5/16"), sheet 51.5 cm × 44 cm × 3 cm (20-1/4" × 17-5/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 20 cm (10-5/8" × 7-7/8"), sheet 41 cm × 33 cm × 2.5 cm (16-1/8" × 13" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
1933, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 51.5 cm × 44 cm × 3 cm (20-1/4" × 17-5/16" × 1-3/16"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1933
c. 1933, watercolor on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 42 cm × 45.5 cm × 2.5 cm (16-9/16" × 17-15/16" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1934
1934, gouache on paper, 10 cm × 15 cm (3-15/16" × 5-7/8"), sheet 37.6 cm × 43.2 cm × 2.5 cm (14-13/16" × 17" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1934
1934, gouache on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 54.5 cm × 48 cm × 2.5 cm (21-7/16" × 18-7/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1934
1934, gouache on paper, 8 cm × 10 cm (3-1/8" × 3-15/16"), sheet 39 cm × 41 cm × 2.5 cm (15-3/8" × 16-1/8" × 1"), frame
Sonia Delaunay,
Untitled,
1934
1934, wax crayon on paper, 27 cm × 21 cm (10-5/8" × 8-1/4"), sheet 52 cm × 45 cm × 2.5 cm (20-1/2" × 17-11/16" × 1"), frame
 
EXHIBITION DETAILS

Sonia Delaunay
Everything Is Feeling
Sep 5 – Oct 18, 2025

Above: Installation view, Sonia Delaunay: Everything is Feeling, Sep 5 – Oct 18, 2025, Pace Gallery, Tokyo © Sonia Delaunay
GALLERY

1F; Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza-A
5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Tokyo