Remember that project in elementary school where you made paper out of gluey pulp and let it dry? For most of us, that’s the extent of seeing paper as anything near to art. This is not the case for Japanese artist Yoshio Ikezaki, who has made a career out of creating stunning pieces of paper using unusual materials and innovative techniques.
The title of MAD’s recently opened show ‘Beauty in All Things,’ is the core design philosophy that Japanese artists have carried around for centuries. Style and function should exist harmoniously within an object, constantly inspiring and invigorating the user. This is no less true for today’s Japanese designers, who have injected an aesthetic spirit into everyday objects. Continue Reading for some examples!
If the March 2011 tsunami and earthquake taught the world anything, it’s the enduring spirit of the Japanese people. Please visit DesignSavesLives.org to learn more about how you can get involved and contribute to a solution.
Attention Design enthusiasts! Our show, ‘Beauty in All Things’ has opened! Be among the first to see some amazing examples of contemporary Japanese design, taken from MAD’s permanent collection. We are excited to feature works that examine how artists have challenged and interpreted methods, materials and techniques while remaining true to the spirit of Japanese aesthetics. I interviewed the exhibition’s curator, Jennifer Scanlan, about the philosophy behind Beauty in All Things, and why it’s the show to see this winter!
For the first time in ten years, internationally renowned artist Shihoku Fukumoto is showing her breathtaking Indigo Cube—Mist (1991), a tea ceremony room comprised of indigo-dyed linen, Japanese paper and aluminum. Fukumoto’s work speaks on a material level, referencing generations of traditional dyeing techniques, but also represents an important facet of Japanese culture.
Intimately connected with the subject of form in Japanese design is the aesthetic of Shibui- profound, unassuming and quiet feeling. … this simple adjective is the final criterion for the highest form of beauty.
Mastery of both form and material is the underlying thread which connects the collection of Japanese art to be seen in ‘Beauty in All Things,’ MAD’s upcoming show this November. This thread also provides an artistic link between the past and present, connecting works of art whose appearance is informed by historic models with more playful, contemporary examples from artists Harumi Nakashima and Nendo.
When I visited Japan this summer, I noticed how much the Japanese treasured ceramics. The basic tea cup transcends its utilitarian function and is often handed down from generation to generation to become a venerated antique of the home. In high-end department stores, stoneware is prominently displayed and intensely coveted. In Kyoto alone there are several museums dedicated to handcrafted ceramics.
Doing research for MAD’s upcoming exhibition ‘Beauty in All Things,’ I attended the opening of Harumi Noguchi’s show ‘Kami—The Elemental Spirits of Nature’ at the Ippodo Gallery in Chelsea.
I’m always excited to see the exhibitions at the Japan Society. Their gallery is often home to thoughtful and wonderfully curated shows that introduce us to a new facet of Japanese art and culture. This past weekend was no exception, as I got to see Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers, a show put on in conjunction with the International Textile Network with the Tama Art Museum.
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