Home / Events / The 40th Memorial of Tatsuaki Kuroda from Tamesaburo Yamamoto Collection

Exhibition/event has ended.

The 40th Memorial of Tatsuaki Kuroda from Tamesaburo Yamamoto Collection

Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum

Finished

Artists

Tatsuaki Kuroda

This exhibition marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Tatsuaki Kuroda (1904–1982). Born as a son of a family that owned a lacquer workshop (nushiya) in Kyoto, Kuroda felt doubts about the division of labor in the wood lacquerware creation process from his young days. Those doubts fueled his desire to assume sole responsibility for the entire process, from the creation of plain pieces of woodwork, through lacquering and decoration, to the finish. His acquaintance with Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai got him involved in the Mingei Movement. In 1927, Kuroda founded The Kamigamo Mingei Craftsman’s Association (Kamigamo Mingei Kyodan) with young people who had the same desire as his and started living a communal creative life. After the association dissolved, Kuroda began his career as a full-fledged wood lacquerware artist. In 1970, his long-term energetic efforts brought him the status of a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure), the first in the field of wood craftwork.

This exhibition focuses especially on works from his early 20s, which provided a solid foundation for his style and can be seen as a condensation of various elements that characterized his works. After his encounter with the Mingei Movement, Kuroda created many lacquered items of furniture and equipment to be displayed in the Mingei Pavilion at the Domestic Product Promotion Exposition held in Tokyo in 1928 to celebrate the enthronement of Emperor Showa. Those items included a clear-lacquered, zelkova wood table set, one of his most representative early works. The building of the Mingei Pavilion, together with furniture and equipment therein, was bought by Tamesaburo Yamamoto, the first president of Asahi Breweries, Ltd., who was a supporter of the Mingei Movement. After the exposition, the building was removed and reconstructed on the site of his residence in Mikuni, Osaka, and began to be called “Mikuni-so.” The collection of Tamesaburo Yamamoto, which was donated to Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art by the Yamamoto family, has constituted the core of the museum’s overall collection since its opening. By displaying all of the works by Tatsuaki Kuroda in our collection, this exhibition explores the origin of the creation of the master lacquerware artist while also referring to the dawn and development of his career.

Schedule

Jan 21 (Sat) 2023-May 7 (Sun) 2023

Opening Hours Information

Hours	10:00-17:00
Closed	Monday Open on March 20, 27, April 3 and May 1.

Fee

University and High School Students ¥500, Persons with Disability Certificates ¥300, Junior High School Students and Under free. Special Exhibition Fees may be charged separately.

Website

https://www.asahibeer-oyamazaki.com/english/tokubetu/45927/