The Japan Foundation, Manila presented a traveling exhibition called Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke at Ayala Malls Greenbelt 5 in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It was held in collaboration with Ayala Museum and Ayala Malls and with the support of Arete, the embassy of Japan in the Philippines and the Japanese studies program of the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke
Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke is an innovative contemporary crafts exhibition presenting 65 works by contemporary Japanese netsuke carvers and artists. A series of special events are also lined up to complement the traveling exhibition.
Tadamine Nakagawa and Asuka Kajiura were also invited to to give a talk, demonstration and workshop on netsuke. Aside from the two renowned netsuke artists and experts from Japan, Dr. Karl Cheng Chua from Ateneo de Manila University also gave a talk.
From July 1-21, 2019, the exhibition was available at the 3rd Level of Greenbelt 5 Phase 1. In celebration of Philippine-Japan Friendship Month in July 2019, the exhibition run also coincided with the 22nd Japanese Film Festival, also called EIGASAI, screened in film theaters around the Philippines and The Strangers, a dance collaboration held at the Blackbox Theater of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in Malate, Manila, Metro Manila.
Artists from Paete, Laguna, Philippines conducted a workshop on July 2, 2019 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arete at Ateneo de Manila University. Participants were already pre-selected but observers were invited to be a part of the audience for free.
Netsuke
As kimono culture flourished during the Edo period in Japan from 1603 to 1868, netsuke (small carvings) were created as toggles to secure the small personal items such as money pouches, inrō (medicine containers) or tobacco containers worn suspended on cords from the obi (a sash worn with kimono). What began as functional pieces to prevent those little containers from falling to the ground evolved into small but highly creative carvings.
In Japan, some netsuke enthusiasts and carvers have managed to keep the tradition alive. Today, classic netsuke have gained international acclaim as remarkably detailed carvings, collected as valuable art pieces or worn as fashion statements with traditional Japanese clothing.
“Netsuke is unique in that daily commodities have evolved into an art form in the course of time,” The Japan Foundation, Manila director Hiroaki Uesugi said. “I believe viewers can enjoy and appreciate the delicate work of art created by Japanese craftsmanship.”
CONAN Daily 