Kosei Matsui, Large Jar, hariko neriage (1999, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)

In creating modern crafts, many craftspeople have depicted and found models in beauty and shape of flowers nurtured by nature. This exhibition presents about seventy masterpieces with floral motifs showing sophisticated beauty of crafts. This show also features about thirty modern artistic dolls—a genre that has developed as a rich arena for creation, traditional crafts and contemporary expression—as well as some posters, in an attempt to bring out the contrasts among various expressions of human-figure motifs.

In addition to modern Japanese crafts, the Crafts Gallery has occasionally acquired works by modern European artists and designers. This show presents about eighty pieces selected from such acquisitions to provide an overview on the history of modern European crafts and design. The second part of the show features about thirty five pieces selected from acquisitions in 2006 and 2007, including ceramics of Munemaro Ishiguro (1893–1968) and Koheiji Miura (1933–2006), as well as glass and textile pieces.

Keisuke Serizawa, Noren (doorway curtain), “Sacred Waterfall”, stencil dyeing on tsumugi silk (1962, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)

We hold Crafts Gallery for Kids every summer vacation. This year it focuses on decorative patterns on craft pieces. The program examines ornaments on about 100 excellent pieces from our collection including ceramics, lacquerwares, textiles and metalworks in an attempt to delve into the appeal of crafts. Workshops for kids will also be given by craftspeople during the period.

Yasuki Hiramatsu, Brooch (1998, private collection)

Having inherited the tradition of Japanese metal carving, Yasuki Hiramatsu (b. 1926) has reconsidered it with a contemporary sensibility to produce pieces that pose innovative interpretations of metalwork. Known for his sophisticated but warm forms, Hiramatsu is internationally acclaimed as a leading artist in postwar Japan, especially in the field of jewelry. This show features about eighty pieces to retrospect his half-century career. The accompanying show will present masterpieces selected from our collection.

Tatsuaki Kuroda, Tea caddy, stripe patterns, raden inlay (c.1974, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)

Because of their heavy reliance on natural materials, lacquer, wood and bamboo works are sometimes thought to be beautiful simply owing to nature. What we look at are, in fact, pieces of nature deliberately segmented by artists—carefully elaborated artifacts. Presenting about 100 lacquer, wood and bamboo works, this show examines aspects of beauty heterogeneously transformed from nature through shaping and ornamentation.

Toyozo Arakawa, Tea bowl, "Kooriume", shino type (1970, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)

Japanese ceramics, textiles, lacquerwares, metalworks, woodworks and other crafts often show natural motifs that capture seasonal rich workings of nature using various techniques and materials to create emotion-rich expressions. As usual for the Gallery's spring special show, this exhibition presents beautiful masterpieces featuring floral motifs.

Carlo Zauli, Winged Cube (1976, Carlo Zauli Museum) PHOTO: MASSIMILIANO FANTINI

Known internationally as a great innovator of modern ceramics, Carlo Zauli (1926–2002) was an Italian master ceramic artist who had considerable influence also on Japanese counterparts. This is the first retrospective exhibition after his death, planned as part of international exchange with Faenza, the city where Zauli was active as a ceramic artist. While thoroughly exploring the possibilities of clay in his dynamic ceramic sculptures, Zauli also displayed unusual talent in his subtle, elaborate architectural façades and tile designs. This show traces his forty-year career after 1951.

Makoto Komatsu, Crinkle series superbag (1997, private collection)

Brought into the limelight in 1975 by his Crinkle series—pieces in the shapes of vessels such as cups and paper bags, featuring motifs of paper and cloth wrinkles—Makoto Komatsu (b. 1943) is now a leading product designer of international renown. Centering around the ceramic-molding technique called porcelain casting, his works are rich in humor and suggestions for comfortable life.