Art Crafting Towards The Future

The 2015 English-language edition of Art Crafting Towards the Future was published by the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanzawa in association with the exhibition Japanese Kōgei | Future Forward, held at the Museum of Arts and Design from October 20, 2015 - February 7, 2016. The MAD exhibition is based on the original exhibition, entitled Art Crafting Towards the Future held at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, in 2012.

Japanese Kōgei | Future Forward presents the work of twelve established and emergent kōgei artists, and examines the changing role of this artistic practice within Japanese culture today. While centuries of tradition remain ingrained in kōgei, the work of the artists in this exhibition reflects a decisive shift away from the aesthetic conventions maintained by their forebears and peers. By pursuing a high degree of individuality and by confronting notions about the “future,” these twelve artists draw inspiration from trends in manga, anime, design, and contemporary art, linking their work equally to art and craft, thus extending the vitality of kōgei into the twenty-first century.