The exhibition “Mastering the Art: Exploring the Cultural Messages Connoted in Japanese Works” will be held from March 20 to 24, 2024. It will showcase works by holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasures) and artists who preserve craft techniques to pass on to the next generation. The venue is the Former Imperial Guards Headquarters in Kitanomaru Garden, Chiyoda City, which is designated as a National Important Cultural Property and was used as The Crafts Gallery at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo until recent years.

The exhibition covers a wide range of fields, including ceramics, textiles, lacquerware, metalwork, wood and bamboo crafts, dolls and other crafts. It is supervised by Ryuichi Matsubara, an art historian and former deputy director of The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto. The exhibits include works by Living National Treasures, such as the porcelain work “Bowl with Snowflake Patterns” by Imaemon Imaizumi XIV, the holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property “Iro-e,” and the lacquerware piece “Circular Box with Maki-e ‘Chrysanthemum’” by Kazumi Murose, the holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property “Maki-e.” Additionally, bamboo work “Godai” by Chiku’ unsai Tanabe IV, and the Akane Yamamoto’s glass artwork “Kirikane Glass Plate ‘Snowing’,” among others, will be displayed. In total, 16 pieces of artwork, recognized for their historical or artistic value as intangible cultural properties, will be exhibited, showcasing the artists’ techniques and the messages embedded within their work.

The exhibition offers free admission, and during the event, there will be talk sessions with the participating artists and screenings of videos documenting the techniques of Living National Treasures. Taking place at the Former Imperial Guards Headquarters, which is currently not open to the public, this exhibition provides a rare opportunity to view the traditional craftsmanship up close.

◾️General information
“Mastering the Art: Exploring the Cultural Messages Connoted in Japanese Works”

Dates: March 20 to 24, 2024 *Open every day during the exhibition period
Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (Last entry 5:30 pm)
Venue: Former Imperial Guards Headquarters (1-1, Kitanomaru-koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Free Admission
Sponsor: The Yomiuri Shimbun
Cooperation: Japan Kogei Association
Official website: https://kogei2024.com/

*Registration required for talk sessions via the official website (first-come, first-served basis)