Japanese aesthetics KOGEI Curated by MIN GALLERY @ Hankyu Umeda 1F

Japanese crafts have been refined through the exploration of a wide variety of materials and techniques, and over time have acquired even greater depth. Creators of ceramics, metalwork, lacquerware, cloisonné, glass, gemstone carving, bamboo crafts, calligraphy, and other fields pursue diverse forms of expression based on inherited techniques. Furthermore, today, crafts continue to be refined and create new value in response to the aesthetic sense of the times, including the latest technology, culture, and fashion.

This exhibition will introduce the wonders of sculpture born from the resonance of works from different fields and the intersection of materials and techniques. Works by contemporary artists that bear traces of their handiwork transform the traditions of the past and project the possibilities of craftsmanship that will be unleashed into the future. Please come and see the craftsmanship that lives on in this present age.

Date: 2025 April 9th ​​(Wednesday) - 15th (Tuesday)
Place: Hankyu Umeda Main Store, 1st floor, Kotokoto Stage 12
Add: 8-7, Kakuta-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, 530-8350
Opening hours: 10:00-20:00
Tel: 06-6361-1381
URL: https://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/

Artists:
BEPPU BAMBOO｜BUNSHO-GAMA｜kasetsu
KOJI TAKUMA｜misato saki｜SIRI SIRI｜Toru Tatsuta
Takeshi Tsujino / fresco｜WATARU YAMAZAKI

In addition to the above, we will also be selling ready-to-wear from Mame Kurogouchi 25SS, selected by Hankyu Umeda Main Store.

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BEPPU BAMBOO

"BEPPU BAMBOO" is a project and brand name that combines the world-renowned bamboo craft tradition and techniques rooted in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture with modern elements to create innovative items that match modern lifestyles. The aim is to expand the scope of work for craftsmen by developing products with high added value.

BUNSHO-GAMA

Founded in 1910, this Imari ware pottery manufacturer has been in business for three generations. They continue to focus on local manufacturing, quarrying "Izumiyama pottery stone" themselves, which was discovered 400 years ago and is no longer in use, and continue to make tableware using the clay they produce in their own workshop. It goes without saying that it is easy to use and beautiful. On top of that, they work on making tableware every day with the aim of "making things that are not thrown away or wasted."

Baba Kojiro is scheduled to visit the store on April 11th (Fri), 12th (Sat), and 13th (Sun)

kasetu

Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1975. For many years, he has been creating works using the technique of writing a single kanji character. Since the era of hieroglyphics, kanji characters have given us a glimpse into how ancient people perceived the things and events before them. They are a writing system that has been passed down to the present day while changing in shape and meaning, and are still alive today. By overlaying the history of kanji characters and the nature that surrounds them, and the changes that cannot be captured by the eye, onto the shapes of the characters, he has produced works that evoke the gaze of people who once lived, or someone somewhere who is still looking at them.

*Photos are for illustrative purposes only

KOJI TAKUMA

Born in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. A precious stone sculptor who creates works that bring out the individuality of stones to the fullest by fusing traditional techniques handed down from ancient times with modern sensibilities. Characterized by delicate and sophisticated beauty of form, he continues to challenge himself to create expressions that go beyond the boundaries of traditional crafts. His representative work, "Garden," is a piece that captures the natural charm of quartz, a type of "garden quartz" that contains various minerals during the crystal growth process, in glass.

*Photos are for illustrative purposes only

Misato Saki

Born in Chiba Prefecture in 1984. Majored in lacquer art at the Department of Crafts, Tokyo University of the Arts. To this day, she has consistently used lacquer to create contemporary jewelry that questions the relationship between the body and accessories. In recent years, as a new venture, she has produced brooches using the carved lacquer technique. The three-dimensional effect created by the angle and depth of the carving expresses unique scenery and beauty, and has opened up new horizons.

SIRI SIRI

Founded in 2006 by designer Naho Okamoto, SIRISIRI is a brand that creates jewelry that combines contemporary design with natural materials and Japanese craftsmanship. The high quality of each piece, handcrafted by artisans, and the organic and universal designs respond to the lifestyle of "freedom seekers" who are not bound by preconceived notions and are true to their own aesthetic sense. This time, we will introduce jewelry selected from the SHIPPŌ collection, which uses the cloisonné technique. Enjoy the beauty of high-quality black and white and its timeless appeal.

Toru Tatsuya

Born in Tokyo in 1980. He began studying under bamboo artist Tanaka Kyokusho while enrolled at Hosei University in 2002, and graduated from the university's Department of Sociology in 2003. He is an artist who has been selected for the Eastern Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition for two consecutive years, and whose work "Sensujimoriki" is included in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. While imitating the techniques and aesthetic sense of traditional bamboo baskets, he creates works that give a sense of the "contemporary" time, focusing on everyday tools, tea ceremony utensils, and bamboo craftwork.

Takeshi Tsujino / fresco

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1964. After graduating from a design college in Osaka, he traveled to the United States and studied glassblowing at various schools and studios, including the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle. After returning to Japan, he founded the studio "fresco" in Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture in 2001. In 2022, he will open a new studio, "cavo," in Nanki Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture. He is known both in Japan and overseas as an artist who creates glass works with overwhelming worldviews.

WATARU YAMAZAKI

Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1978. After graduating from a domestic jewelry college in 2000, he studied under metalworker Kenji Io and metal engraver Ryoichi Izumi, and began working as a jewelry artist in 2002. Using traditional Japanese engraving techniques, he delicately expresses the perfect beauty of nature, such as shells and flowers, creating modest yet eye-catching jewelry with a strong presence.

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Japanese aesthetics KOGEI
– The Artistry of Technique and Material –

Japanese craftsmanship has been refined through the exploration of diverse materials and techniques, deepening over time as traditions intertwine with innovation.

From ceramics, metalwork, lacquerware, cloisonné, glass, gemstone carving, and bamboo crafts to calligraphy, artisans in each field build upon inherited techniques while continuously seeking new forms of expression. Today, these traditional crafts evolve further by resonating with modern technology, culture, and fashion, creating new value and refined aesthetics.

This exhibition showcases the harmony of different disciplines, where the intersection of materials and techniques gives rise to extraordinary forms. The works of contemporary artists—imbued with traces of meticulous craftsmanship—reinterpret tradition and open new possibilities for the future of Japanese crafts.

Experience the essence of craftsmanship as it thrives in this era.


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Japanese Aesthetics Craftsmanship--The art of crafting and creating materials-

As we continue to explore the various materials and techniques of Japanese handicrafts available in Japan, we continue to refine them over time. Craftsmen from various fields, such as ceramics, metal products, lacquerware, silverware, glass, jewelry carving, bamboo craftsmanship, etc., pursue a rich variety of expressions based on traditional techniques. The latest technology, cultural harmony, contemporary aesthetic appeal, the creation of a new industry, and the best of all.

Introduction to this exhibition : Since then, the works of different disciplines have a common theme, and the materials that appear are intertwined with Japanese techniques and the beauty of their biological forms. contemporary design The traces of home-made craftsmanship are reflected in the work, and the transformation of Japanese handicrafts into the future is reflected in the future. Where are you? The form of handicrafts exhibited at the time.