JAPANESE ART EXHIBITION
Decorative Arts in Meiji and Heisei:
Crafting Beauty and Technique across 150 Years
14 November 2019 - 12 January 2020
The Museum of Modern Greek Culture in collaboration with the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo organises the periodic exhibition: “Decorative Arts in Meiji and Heisei: Crafting Beauty and Technique Across 150 Years».
The exhibits include art objects from the collections of institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History, as well as from private collectors.
The exhibition presents to the Greek public unknown aspects of the faraway Japanese civilisation, linking artistic trends and historical developments and highlighting the educational interaction between tradition and modernity - the former being a living source of inspiration for modern artists.
The exhibits include artefacts and handicrafts such as ceramics, porcelain, embroidery samples, lacquer boxes, metal and bamboo items, representing the Meiji (1868-1912) and Heisei (1989-2019) historical eras, when Japan was going through an intense diplomatic and cultural extroversion with significant internal social, financial and cultural transformations.
During the Meiji era, a wave of artistic regeneration inspired by modernity developed in parallel with older artistic forms and techniques. Decorative arts flourished in Japan. To this day they reflect the high level of know-how, aesthetic trends and decorative qualities, as well as a further refinement and sophistication in form intertwined with international artistic trends.
The Heisei era is dominated by the individual creativity of artists, who were already active in the beginnings of the 20th century. They participate in international movements, while remaining involved in the Japanese art industry of their time. Traditional techniques and aesthetics are used in all art forms: ceramics, metalwork, textile arts and bamboo creations, demonstrating a modern sensitivity in re-approaching the natural form through distinct choices of materials and the mastery of artists, fluctuating between craftsmanship and art.
The creations of the fifty one artists from these two periods offer a comprehensive insight into the development of decorative arts in Japan, inviting the Greek public to approach Japanese cultural heritage as historical testimony and cultural trace of human presence.
Mr. Manasori Moroyama, former curator of the National Museum of Modern Art, curates the Japanese aspect of the exhibition.
The exhibition is under the auspices of the Embassy of Japan in Greece and forms part of the events marking the anniversary of the 120 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Greece.
With the kind support of the “Friends of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture”
Duration of the Exhibition: 14 November 2019 - 12 January 2020
Place: New exhibition space of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture, Andrianou 50-52, Monastiraki, Athens.
Opening hours: Daily: 8:30-16:00, closed on Tuesdays
Information: 210 3249698
