Installation view, KOGEI and Art, Courtesy Onishi Gallery

KOGEI and Art
and
Inoue Manji / David Stanley Hewett
Closing Friday, May 24, 2024

There is still time to visit Onishi Gallery’s current exhibitions – KOGEI and Art, marking the inauguration of KOGEI USA, a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization of Japan’s world-famous KOGEI (art crafts) and Inoue Manji / David Stanley Hewett celebrating Living National Treasure Inoue Manji and Japan based artist David Stanley Hewett before they close this Friday, the 24th.

KOGEI and Art celebrates contemporary practitioners who’s innovative use of materials and methods have stood the test of time and reflect an unrivaled dedication to technical perfection and refinement. Works in this exhibition include those in ceramics, metal, and lacquer by both well-established artists and newcomers to the field. Alongside masterpieces by “Living National Treasures” such as Imaizumi Imaemon XIV, Nakagawa Mamoru, Ōsumi Yukie, and Murose Kazumi, the exhibit includes recent work by Rusu Aki and Konno Tomoko, two younger women who are building international reputations with sculptural pieces that combine technical rigor with an inventive approach to materials and processes.

While in Inoue Manji / David Stanley Hewett, the two artists’ practices convey contrasting aspects of Japanese expression. Inoue Manji—a “Living National Treasure” and the embodiment of his country’s dedication to traditional philosophies, materials, and techniques—uses the purity of hakuji (white porcelain) to create works that offer a new perspective on Japanese minimalism, while David Stanley Hewett, an American living in Japan, works in the medium of finest Japanese gold leaf applied to canvas or wood, preserving and re-imagining a heritage of gorgeous decoration with its roots in elite samurai culture.

Be sure to stop by and take in the beauty of all these works on view this week!

To learn more, click here.