I went to see it! "Wako Zekka: Super Kogei of the Reiwa Era" at the Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art

As a craft lover, this exhibition filled my heart in a way that words like "bliss" or "a feast for the eyes" simply cannot capture.
In a good way, it is not overly formal, and you can carefully appreciate a number of truly wonderful works right in front of you. I really want you to see the real things at the venue, experience them, and be amazed.

Location: Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art (Shiodome, Tokyo)
Dates: July 18 (Sat) – September 22 (Tue/Holiday), 2020
Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 *Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Wednesdays
*No advance reservation required / Admission may be restricted during busy times

Future tour schedule:
Miyazaki Art Center(Miyazaki City) March 20 (Sat/Holiday) – May 9 (Sun), 2021
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art(Oyamazaki-cho, Otokuni-gun, Kyoto Prefecture) September 18 (Sat) – December 5 (Sun), 2021

◎ Why I decided to go see it

I think I first learned about the exhibition when I picked up a flyer at some museum. Since I have always loved crafts, and because Akito Niisato, whose work I am a fan of, was exhibiting, I really wanted to see the works of the other artists as well, so I was looking forward to the opening.

By the way, my encounter with Niisato-san's work is here (it's long).

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◎ What kind of exhibition is it?

Without being bound by the genre of craft, the efforts of the artists in this exhibition, who use materials and make full use of techniques to explore craft beauty, rethink the relationship between people and objects and suggest the expansion of the possibilities of handiwork.
This exhibition introduces 12 artists born after 1970 who are currently receiving the most attention for their craft-like works rooted in Japanese aesthetics.
(From the special website )

In line with the exhibition title "Wako Zekka",

Craft beauty rooted in traditional Japanese culture: "Wa" (Harmony)
Craft beauty beyond the limits of manual skill: "Ko" (Skill)
The possibilities of craft beauty created by materials: "Zekka" (Exquisite Beauty)

While divided into these three chapters, there are commentary panels displayed for each of the 12 artists and their works.

Photography is allowed inside the exhibition room! Perhaps this is unique to an exhibition of contemporary artists.
Please be sure to capture your favorite works and the works that moved you with your camera.
Since there are many small-sized or delicately crafted works, if you have equipment that can take clear pictures even with super zoom and in slightly dim light, please bring it with you.

By the way, the Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art in Tokyo is located on one floor of the "Panasonic Tokyo Shiodome Building," which houses a Panasonic showroom, and it is not a very large museum.

However, since there are 12 artists, there is a volume of 114 exhibits.
Time will pass in the blink of an eye once you start looking closely, so I recommend that you go with plenty of time to spare.
You can re-enter with your ticket for the day, so it might be nice to take a break at nearby Caretta Shiodome or Shiodome City Center.

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◎ Astonishment. Akane Yamamoto's Kirikane glass works

Actually, I spent enough time appreciating each and every one of them that I could write forever, but since the word count would surely be too much for anyone to follow, I will write about just one person...
I learned her name and work from the flyer, and I was really looking forward to seeing the real thing at the venue: Akane Yamamoto's work.

《Kirikane Glass Incense Container "Muga" (Detail)》 2016, Private Collection

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Mr. Yamamoto originally majored in Japanese painting at university, and through the copying of Buddhist paintings, he encountered Kirikane and began to study it on his own.

● What is... Kirikane?
Originally, it is a method of decorating Buddhist paintings or the clothing of wooden Buddhist statues, a technique where gold or silver leaf is cut into extremely thin, thread-like strips and used to draw patterns.

At a glance, can you imagine that those lines, which look like they were drawn with a brush as thin as an ultra-fine liquid eyeliner, are actually made by cutting and applying foil so delicate that a slight breeze could blow it away, and that they form such beautiful patterns?
That's right, it's a technique that makes you think, 'How can someone be so delicate and meticulous!'
It is a technique that developed uniquely after being introduced to Japan along with Buddhism in the Asuka period, but Japanese people are truly dexterous, aren't they...

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After that, Mr. Yamamoto thought about how he could make Kirikane not just a decorative technique, but the main feature. Furthermore, he went through trial and error thinking about whether he could somehow create works that would last for 1,000 years, despite Kirikane being delicate and fragile.
And then, he came up with the idea of sealing it inside glass! The Kirikane glass technique, and he studied it thoroughly for three years in his 30s at the Toyama City Institute of Glass Art.

The work process for Kirikane glass is enormous, taking several months for even the smallest piece and several years for a major work, but thanks to learning how to copy paintings, his mental strength and patience to see things through to completion were forged.

The following comment from Mr. Yamamoto was published in the catalog for this exhibition.

Japanese painting, copying Buddhist paintings, Kirikane, and glass works.
If any of these techniques were missing, Kirikane glass would surely not have been born.

Kirikane glass is something Mr. Yamamoto reached precisely because he has steadily built up his skills one by one. I felt that this is an expression that no one has ever realized before, and one that perhaps only Mr. Yamamoto in the world will be able to achieve in the future.

《Vortex (detail)》 2020, Collection of the artist

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The beauty of such incredibly difficult works is just!!! It's wonderful!!! It was a beauty I could stare at forever. I think I wandered around the exhibition room for about 30 minutes.

I personally love glass as a material, so as I stared at the works, I felt as if I had entered into them, and a world I had truly never seen before was spreading out there...

《Kirikane Glass Rectangular Dish "Ryuen" (detail)》 2014, Shorenji Temple

《Kirikane Glass Dish "Hanaguruma" (detail)》 2014, Gallery NOW

I don't think the photos I took and posted here convey even 5% of the charm of the works. I really want you to see the real thing at the venue, from above, from the side, from all directions. Especially if you like glass, you must!!! I think you will regret it if you don't see it.

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◎ To begin with, what is Kogei (crafts)?

To put it very roughly and simply, it is tools and practical items used in daily life that have been made beautiful, items that combine functionality and beauty.
Since they are a bit different from works like paintings and sculptures that are enjoyed by viewing, they are called applied arts.

Kogei: arts and crafts
Aesthetic objects created by utilizing highly skilled techniques, or the field of producing them. Also called applied arts, decorative arts, etc. As for their use, they cover all aspects of clothing, food, and housing, and as for materials and techniques, they include all materials such as wood and bamboo crafts, metalwork, ceramics, glass, jade, ivory, plastic, lacquerware, textiles, paper, printing, etc. (From Britannica)

Also, have you ever heard the term “Beauty of Use (Yo no Bi)” somewhere? This term was born from the
“Mingei (Folk Crafts) Movement” started in 1926 by people like Muneyoshi Yanagi, who said, “There are many wonderful things that everyone overlooks, even among ordinary tableware and daily necessities made by nameless craftsmen all over the country! I want to convey this charm more!!!”

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In the last few years, I feel that the number of places where you can easily pick up “traditional crafts,” mainly in lifestyle shops, has increased.
Also, magazines like “Discover Japan” and “&Premium” regularly feature various themes, such as ceramic artists and vessels, or lifestyle settings.

In that context, hasn't Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten played a major role? The web media they operate, “Sanchi”, always introduces many crafts, creators, and production areas with great care, and it is very worth reading. I am also learning a lot from reading it.

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There was an article on the site summarizing the types and history of crafts. If you have time, please take a look at this as well.

In this article, there is a passage about the current environment surrounding crafts.

Compared to mass-produced goods, crafts are often more expensive, and their quality is difficult to understand at a glance. Especially in Japan, where the division of labor has progressed extremely since the modern era and the distance between makers and users has gradually widened, communicating the background and thoughts of the makers that users can empathize with is the key to the survival of crafts.

That is exactly it. It is not rare for crafts to be expensive.
Well, that is natural, because they take time, effort, and accumulated skills and human hands. I understand that, but I think there are many people who find it hard to get their hands on them.

However, I think the world's values regarding things are changing little by little. Instead of having a lot of things, people want to use good, favorite items where they can see the maker, little by little, while taking care of them for a long time.

Therefore, for the future of crafts, it is important to continue to convey their goodness firmly and carefully.

I still only have shallow knowledge, but as a craft lover, since it seems a bit difficult for me to become a craftsman now, I would like to at least convey it through writing like this, or support them by purchasing and using them within my reach.

※ It seems they will be moving the content on the site soon, for your information.

The works of the artists exhibited in this exhibition have reached the realm of “super-crafts,” not only in the sense that they are things that are a joy to use in daily life, but also in the sense that they are things that can enrich your heart when appreciated, and in the sense that they continue to explore new methods and expressions... I am truly thrilled by the dignity of handmade work that cannot be mechanized.

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◎ What about the catalog & goods?

At the exit of the exhibition room, exhibition goods, the catalog (¥2,500), related books, and even some of the artists' works were on sale (!). The lineup is posted on the special site.

Personally, I highly recommend the catalog. Of course, I bought it.
(You can ask the staff to show you a sample.)

Even though you can take photos inside the exhibition room, the photos in the catalog are still very beautiful, and the information you want to know, such as interviews with each artist, their backgrounds, and explanations of their works and techniques, is compactly summarized.
By the way, if you cannot go to the venue, you can buy it via e-commerce.

Also, as a tenugui (hand towel) lover, what made me super happy was Akio Niisato's tenugui!!! It might be too precious to use. I think I'll frame it and display it for now. No, but a tenugui is meant to be used...
Maybe I should have bought another one...

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◎Summary

When it comes to exhibitions, it is natural for the works themselves to be the focus, but personally, I am the type of person who is just as, if not more, interested in who the "creators" are, what kind of life paths they have followed to reach this point, and when and how each piece was created.

Therefore, this exhibition was very, very good because the structure allowed me to fully appreciate not only the works but also the charm of each individual creator.

I think that artists who create things are like seekers trying to master their path. I have this feeling especially for artists who deal with things that are not straightforward, like ceramics, or those who work with natural materials.

Works that finally take shape after accumulating training over an incredible amount of time, and facing their work and themselves earnestly every single day.
As I stood face-to-face with them in the exhibition room, pondering and imagining these things, I could feel nothing but respect.

Ah, and yet, why is craft so heart-stirring?
I couldn't help but feel the happiness of living in the same era as these wonderful artists.

I wonder what kind of works these artists will create in the future.
I want to keep supporting them forever.