2022 Autumn Special Exhibition,
“Shoji Hamada and Sori Yanagi　-two chief curators-”
September 3 (Sat)－December 13 (Tue)

Shoji Hamada (1894-1978) and Sori Yanagi (1915-2011) led their respective fields of pottery and product design. Hamada was the first chief curator of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Osaka, and was succeeded by Yanagi. Both curators shared the same philosophy and policy of collecting and introducing new works of mingei folk art, and the museum holds many works related to them in its collection.
This exhibition showcases the achievements of these two key figures in the development of this museum, through the works they collected, and their attitudes towards mingei and the mingei movement.

2022 Spring Special Exhibition,
“The present visage of the Mingei movement in western Japan”
March 5 (Sat)－July 18 (Mon)

The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Osaka was established in 1972 as a flagship Mingei museum in western Japan. To commemorate the museum’s 50th anniversary, this spring 2022 exhibition shows the works of almost one hundred craftspeople active in western Japan, including Okinawa.

The Mingei Movement established by Soetsu Yanagi expanded from introducing the beauty he found in everyday utensils to restoring handiworks and establishing Mingei museums. Since its beginning the Mingei Movement has been joined by many craftspeople, producing a variety of excellent works.

Nowadays the idea of Mingei is widely familiar, with craftspeople developing their own individual interpretations. What is the result of the aggregated ideas and experiences of such craftspeople?

This exhibition shows the various approaches through more than 200 works of craftspeople operating under the ‘Mingei’ umbrella. Please enjoy this virtual trip through their works in western Japan.