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Reinventing Japanese Traditions in the 21st Century
Living Kogei: Contemporary Japanese Craft from the Ise Collection

06 Aug 2019

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(From left) Toasting ceremony by Director of UMAG Dr Florian Knothe, Chairman of the HKU Museum Society Mrs Yvonne Choi and Ambassador and Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong Mr Mitsuhiro Wada.

(From left) Toasting ceremony by Director of UMAG Dr Florian Knothe, Chairman of the HKU Museum Society Mrs Yvonne Choi and Ambassador and Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong Mr Mitsuhiro Wada.

Connection Chikuunsai Tanabe IV (b. 1973) Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, 2018 Bamboo, 34.5 x 69 cm Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Connection
Chikuunsai Tanabe IV (b. 1973)
Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, 2018
Bamboo, 34.5 x 69 cm
Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Good Omen Kensaku Aihara (b. 1969) Tokyo, 2017 Iron, bronze and gold, height 75 cm Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Good Omen
Kensaku Aihara (b. 1969)
Tokyo, 2017
Iron, bronze and gold, height 75 cm
Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Fall Wind Satoshi Kino (b. 1987) Saitama Prefecture, 2018 Porcelain with pale blue glaze, length 82 cm Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Fall Wind
Satoshi Kino (b. 1987)
Saitama Prefecture, 2018
Porcelain with pale blue glaze, length 82 cm
Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Summer Solstice Shimpei Matsuzaki (b. 1981) Tokyo, 2017 Lacquer and mother-of-pearl, 9.5 x 18 x 9.5 cm Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

Summer Solstice
Shimpei Matsuzaki (b. 1981)
Tokyo, 2017
Lacquer and mother-of-pearl, 9.5 x 18 x 9.5 cm
Image courtesy of the Ise Collection

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The modern Japanese term for artisan crafts, kogei (pronounced ‘ko-gay’) refers to a form of highly skilled artistic expression associated with specific regions and craftsmen in Japan. Kogei works typically include ceramics, textiles, lacquer, metal, glass and wood, and have at their core a concern for fine craftsmanship and the inherent qualities of the materials. Informed by centuries of tradition, these crafts have been revitalised and expanded in recent years, with emerging avant-garde tendencies in fields such as bamboo sculpture and studio glass competing with established practices and values that are deeply embedded in Japanese culture.

The University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) will present Living Kogei: Contemporary Japanese Craft from the Ise Collection from August 7 to October 27, 2019. Drawn from the diverse collections of the Ise Foundation, Living Kogei highlights over seventy works by prominent and emerging contemporary Japanese artists—including Living National Treasures whose skills have been recognised by the Japanese government. Ranging from rustic ceramics with asymmetrical forms, to abstract glass with elegant silhouettes and sensuous colours, each work demonstrates how contemporary artisans revere and carry on the long tradition of Japanese craft, while at the same time departing from convention in search of the new.

An opening ceremony of the exhibition was held at UMAG today (August 6). Officiating guests included Ambassador and Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong Mr Mitsuhiro Wada, Chairman of the HKU Museum Society Mrs Yvonne Choi and UMAG Director Dr Florian Knothe.

For more images and captions of the exhibits, please click here.

VIP Guided Tour and Welcoming Ceremony
Date: October 9, 2019 (Wednesday)
Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Venue: 1/F – 2/F Fung Ping Shan Building, UMAG, HKU, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam

Symposium: Living Kogei: Contemporary Japanese Craft from the Ise Collection
Date: October 10, 2019 (Thursday)
Time: TBC
Venue: 1/F – 2/F Fung Ping Shan Building, UMAG, HKU, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam

Details of the Exhibition
Period: August 7, 2019 (Wednesday) to October 27, 2019 (Sunday)
Opening Hours:
09:30 – 18:00 (Monday to Saturday)
13:00 – 18:00 (Sunday)
Closed on University and Public Holidays
Venue: 1/F – 2/F, Fung Ping Shan Building, UMAG, HKU, 90 Bonham Road, Pokfulam
Tel/Email: (852) 2241 5500 (General Enquiry) / museum@hku.hk
Admission: Free
Website: http://www.umag.hku.hk/en/

Connect with UMAG on Social Media:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/umag_facebook
Instagram: @umag_hku, #UMAG, #JapaneseCraft, #Kogei
Weibo: @香港大學美術博物館UMAG
YouTube: http://bit.ly/umag_youtube
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/umag_linkedin

About University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong (UMAG)
UMAG was founded in 1953 as the Fung Ping Shan Museum. It was originally established as the Fung Ping Shan Library in 1932 in honour of its benefactor. For more information on UMAG, please click here.

Media enquiries
UMAG Senior Communications Officer Ms Elena Cheung, Tel: (852) 2241 5512, Email: elenac@hku.hk
UMAG Programme Officer Ms Chelsea Choi, Tel: (852) 2241 5509, Email: cchelsea@hku.hk

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