Echizen: A new era of lacquerware design
9 – 12 December
This month we will show an exclusive presentation of contemporary Japanese lacquerware from Echizen.
The Echizen region in Japan’s Fukui prefecture has been producing quality lacquerware for many hundreds of years. Contrary to the many production centres of Japan that struggle to adopt to modern times, Echizen boasts a thriving community that matches experienced masters with young, creative students who collaborate in future-proofing lacquerware intended for daily use. In addition to adopting new designs and a range of new pastel colours, Echizen seeks to promote lacquerware as a natural and sustainable alternative to the many plastic items that have come to dominate our lives. Starting in 2015, the region collaborated with foreign designers in order to push traditional lacquerware towards the realm of contemporary product design.
Living Colour:
Contemporary Prints by Fukami Gashū
open 9-12 december
With significant changes to our collection this year due to the gift to the Rijksmuseum, we take this opportunity to shift our focus to a vibrant and modern display of woodblock prints. Living Colour will show contemporary works of Fukami Gashū (born 1953), with over seventy prints and preliminary studies produced over the past forty years.
After discovering well known sōsaku hanga artists such as Asano Takeji and Azechi Umetarō, Fukami Gashū started his journey in woodblock printmaking. His distinctive style is formed by the use of bold colours and playful compositions. Drawing inspiration from his immediate surroundings, the prints feature numerous animals, insects and a surprising variety of cats
Lacquerware demonstrations
saturday 10 and sunday 11 december
For the Echizen project a group of Japanese lacquerware experts has travelled to the Netherlands. On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December they will continuously give short lacquerware demonstrations.
