Special Exhibition

Asia, Tales in the Trees - Woodcrafts from Kaneko Kazushige Collection

○ Venue: Kaneko Kazushige Gallery, 2F

○ On display: 40 wood and lacquer craft items, ranging from everyday items to sculptures of deities, Buddhist sculptures, ritual vessels, scripture cases, and Buddhist scriptures

○ Dates: March 27 - July 1, 2012

This exhibition introduces 40 wood lacquer crafts from the collection of ethnic sculptures donated by Kaneko Kazushige (b. 1925), Director of Japan’s Institute of Asian Ethno-Forms and Culture. Mr. Kaneko has devoted his life to researching and collecting ethnic works richly flavored in the history and culture of various Asian nations, and from 2002 to 2005, he donated to the NMK 1,035 pieces from his collection, accumulated over some 40 years. Mr. Kaneko’s donations have previously served as the centerpiece for the thematic exhibitions such as Asian Lacquer Arts from Kaneko Kazushige Collection (2010) and Ethnic Earthenware from Asia’s Heart (2011). This year, NMK presents Asia, Tales in the Trees - Woodcrafts from the Kaneko Kazushige Collection, highlighting varieties of Asian life through distinctive wood culture.

The selections, which were collected from across Asia, include a myriad of diverse wooden objects, many of which are gorgeously decorated with red paint and lacquer. The pieces range from everyday objects to sculptures of deities, ritual vessels, Buddhist sculptures and scriptures, scripture cases, and many more.