"Kanazawa College of Art" Group Exhibition
Onishi Gallery
This event has ended.
Onishi Gallery presents a group exhibition of contemporary crafts from the Kanazawa College of Art, Japan. The Kanazawa College of Art is the only art school in Japan which offers an academic major in crafts. As a result, the college has produced a myriad of great craft artists with no close rivals in Japan. This productivity is reflected in the number of "Living National Treasures" the college has produced and the college's influence on Japanese craft and design. This exhibition consists of two parts: "Wa-Ring" and "Japanese Contemporary Crafts by Three Great Masters".
A key part of the show, the "Wa-Ring" exhibit features art using ring-shaped wooden objects and Kanazawa City's traditional industrial product, gold leaf. Each participant is given free reign over his or her work. The "Wa-Ring" exhibit was created by 59 graduates and 11 current students from the Kanazawa College of Art.
In Kanazawa City, the traditional arts such as gold leaf, ceramic, lacquer ware, metal inlay and fabric dyeing have been fostered for many centuries. In addition to being known as a beautiful castle town, Kanazawa City has also become well known as a showcase for contemporary and modern art since the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa opened in 2004. The city has a unique quality of integrating traditionalism and modernism, making the city and its artists amongst the most influential in Japan.
In another key part of the show, "Japanese Contemporary Crafts by Three Great Masters", Living National Treasures Fumio Mae (Chinkin Lacquer) and Mamoru Nakagawa (Metal Inlay), as well as the director of the Kanazawa College of Art, Kenji Kuze (Ceramic), will present art pieces. They are all leading contemporary craftsmen of Japan and live in Kanazawa City.
Just after World War II ended, the Kanazawa College of Art was established in 1946 with the dedication of Kanazawa citizens, who yearned to contribute to the peace of mankind through the creation of beauty. Among its graduates are many pioneers of traditional art as well as a variety of talented individuals in the areas of pure art and designer industries. The digital artwork of Shigeru Miyamoto - the father of the Nintendo game software “Super Mario” - and Mamoru Hosoda - the director of the animated movie “Summer Wars” - is lauded around the world.
A total of 1300 participants, consisting mainly of graduates of the university as well as current students, have organized the grand art exhibition to be simultaneously held in three cities: Tokyo Ginza, Kanazawa and New York. In total, there are 149 locations, with 163 exhibitions, beginning with an exhibit in Tokyo Ginza in 2002, and continuing in 2004 and 2007. Now, in 2011, this show will be the fourth time such an exhibit has been held.
[Image: Kenji Kuze]
Media
Schedule
from September 08, 2011 to September 22, 2011
Opening Reception on 2011-09-08 from 18:00 to 20:00