Esoteric Survey

  Mingei International Museum has just reemerged from a three year massive renovation led by architect Jennifer Luce . The project has actually been in the works since 2015. The transformation is incredible.   George Nakashima bench outside the library.  The library has moved upstairs and is now more accessible to the public. The shelving is Vitsoe, designed by Dieter Rams. I heard it might be one of the largest installations of Vitsoe ever done. I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the stacks. George Nakashima desk GLOBAL SPIRIT—Folk Art from the Ted Cohen Collection showcases folk art from more than 20 countries, highlighting a donation to the Museum by Oakland-based collector and exhibition designer, Ted Cohen. The Museum's board of director's Nakashima table grew.  Mira Nakashima was commissioned to add a new extension to the table. Art of the People for The People - O bjects from the Museum's collection. The focus is  Mingei’s roots in the early ...

Charlotte Perriand, with support from Sori Yanagi and Junzo Sakakura, was invited by the Japanese Ministry of Commerce and Industry/Department of Trade Promotion to serve as an advisor to help increase furniture exports for Japan. Perriand had met Sakakura while they were both working at Le Corbusier’s studio. Junzo worked with Le Corbusier in Paris from 1931 to 1936. On June 15, 1940 Perriand boarded a cruiseliner headed to Japan. This was one day after the nazis had captured Paris. She arrived in Japan on August 21, 1940. Image: Perriand with back to camera and Sori Yanagi (center), via Charlotte Perriand: An Art of Living: Mary McLeod   She stayed at the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Imperial Hotel. Then she traveled throughout Japan with Sori Yanagi and visited Mingei craftspeople around the county. Source: MFA Boston Perriand (middle) with Sakakura (left) with two Japanese craftsmen, 1941 Image: Charlotte Perriand: An Art of Living: Mary McLeod  In 194...

Mingei of Japan at the Mingei International Museum It probably isn't a surprise that the Mingei museum has a fantastic collection of Mingei artifacts. This included a number of recent acquisitions. The exhibit was curated by the museum's director, Rob Sidner. Soetsu Yanagi’s writings are on the walls. He, along with Shoji Hamada and Kawai Kawai Kanjiro, are the fathers of the Japanese Mingei movement.   Soetsu is also the father of Sori Yanagi. Here is baby Sori in 1915. Ceramics by Shoji Hamada Shoji Hamada Hamada, Bernard Leach, Soetsu Yanagi, and Marguerite Wildenhain at Black Mountain College , 1952 Source: American Craft Council Kawai Kanjiro. I went to his house,  here . Kokeshi Nakashima table and chairs flanked by Sori Yanagi lamps, stool, and teapot. Sori Yanagi Mingei of Japan runs until October 2, 2016 More info here