Mingei: Are You Here? 80 works by 30 artists
I walked into Pace Gallery here in New York City last weekend to a nice little surprise.
They are exhibiting the legacy of Mingei, a Japanese folk craft movement from the 1920s. The display and the quality of the collection made me feel like I was in a museum!
The Mingei movement explored cultural identities when Japan was experiencing rapid growth and westernization in the early part of the last century.
Soetsu Yanagi, founder of the movement, discovered beauty in everyday ordinary and utilitarian objects created by unknown craftsmen.
At Japan Suite, we are passionate about presenting respected and known craftspeople, but we are equally passionate about discovering new and unknown artists who will carry this great tradition forward.
As such, we want to honor Yanagi-san’s philosophy. In this spirit, we are excited to work with artists who understand these philosophies — artists who are honoring the past traditions, while also adding their unique interpretations to the legacy of Japanese crafts.
Here is a beautiful quote from Yanagi.
“Beauty must have some room, must be associated with freedom”