Stephan Keppel and Ikuhisa Sawada.
11.11 – 29.11.2026 Alternative Space The White, Tokyo.
The White is pleased to present “WHITE COPIES”, a collaborative exhibition by Stephan Keppel and Ikuhisa Sawada. The project develops from Keppel’s residency in Tokyo in 2025 and the pre-exhibition “Paper System”.
The title WHITE COPIES originates from a toner-out alert on the draft printer used by Keppel. While Keppel was printing photographs taken by Sawada in the outskirts of Tokyo, the toner level dropped, recalling a troubleshooting entry in the printer’s manual. This experience of diminishing and fragmented prints resonated with the gallery’s name and led him to choose the title WHITE COPIES.
During his residency, Keppel researched architecture and urban structures in Tokyo, photographing anonymous elements such as blocks, windows, and public seating. He also collected printing papers, old books, and discarded roll paper found during fieldwork as potential materials for future production. After returning to Amsterdam, he produced prints based on images made in Tokyo while continuing to exchange and rework images with Sawada remotely.
Supported by de Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tokyo.
STEPHAN KEPPEL 