Mingei Revisited: Looking at Japan's Folk Art Movement Nearly a Century On
Jennifer Pastore
The common objects that fill our lives may be easy to take for granted, but as shown in 100 Years of Mingei: The Folk Crafts Movement at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT), with time they may also take on cultural importance -- if not for ourselves, then for society at large. As Mingei comes up on its centennial, this enduring effort to identify and preserve Japan's long tradition of handicrafts warrants reflection. Unlike other shows in recent years, 100 Years of Mingei focuses on the movement's practical rather than philosophical aspects, delving into its historical background and its network of interpersonal connections. more...
Taking the Woodblock Print into the 20th Century: Hasui Kawase
J.M. Hammond
Vibrant autumn foliage, atmospheric winter snowscapes -- the scenic views from around Japan by Hasui Kawase encompass it all. Although the images he bequeathed to us are serene and peaceful, it was no smooth road to success for the artist. The current exhibition at the Sompo Museum of Art in Tokyo takes us on a walk along the rocky paths of Hasui's career. Kawase Hasui: Travel and Nostalgic Landscape gathers together close to 300 of his works, all of which are woodblock prints (hanga). more...
How Edo Became Tokyo: Time-Tripping at the Hibiya Library & Museum
Alan Gleason
Chiyoda's preeminent status has stood unchallenged for the four centuries since the Tokugawa shoguns built Edo Castle where the palace now stands. A study of the ward's history will therefore tell you much of what you need to know about the entire country from the Edo period on. So it is no surprise that the Chiyoda Public Library was able to rely almost entirely on materials about this one part of Tokyo to put together its current exhibition, a comprehensive look at the city's transition in the 1860s from Edo, seat of the Shogunate, to the modern imperial capital. more...
