The Hawaii Japanese Center is hosting “Handcrafted Form: Traditions and Techniques,” which opens Saturday and runs through June 27.
The Hawaii Japanese Center is hosting “Handcrafted Form: Traditions and Techniques,” which opens Saturday and runs through June 27.
The exhibition, which features handcrafted objects from Japan, will open with a brief welcoming ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, with a presentation to follow by three master artisans from Kyoto, Japan.
The artists are: Shicen Kodama, a Nishijin tapestry weaver; Tamae Ueda, a Yuzen dye artist; and Kazuyo Kawamoto, a Shibori artist. Each woman will present a short lecture showing their work, with a demonstration performed by the shibori Kawamoto.
A project of the Japan Foundation, “Handcrafted Form” focuses on Japanese crafts made from traditional materials using traditional techniques that were developed and used in daily life. Each of these pieces has been officially designated as “traditional craft objects” by the government of Japan.
In total, the exhibition includes over 90 pieces from seven categories: ceramics, textiles, metalwork, lacquerware, wood and bamboo, glass, and paper and stationery. Curated by the renowned art critic and historian Kazuko Todate, “Handcrafted Form” has drawn glowing reviews in galleries and museums worldwide.
The only Hawaii showing is in Hilo, arriving from Seattle, then going to Santiago, Chile. The Hawaii showing is coordinated by the Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu, which also is arranging the visit by the three master artisans.
Starting Tuesday, gallery hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. A series of public programs are planned during this period, featuring outstanding local artists such as Clayton Amemiya (ceramics) on May 30, Glenn Yamanoha (woodblock) on June 6, and a two-day, hands-on workshop led by Ann Asakura (“new wave” kimono) June 20-21.
The Hawaii Japanese Center, at 751 Kanoelehua Avenue in Hilo, is a private nonprofit organization.
Admission to “Handcrafted Form” is free; donations are accepted. For more information, email contact@hawaiijapanesecenter.com or call 934-9611 between 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.