GUIDED TOUR OF THE TOSHIBA GALLERY AT THE V&A -6TH JUNE
With our very knowledgeable guide Dr Monika Hinkel, a distinguished lecturer and curator in the field of Japanese Art, specialising in Japanese wood-block prints, an Academic Member of the Japan Research Centre at SOAS University of London and an Academic Associate of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, we stepped into the rich world of Japanese art, design and craftsmanship. Exploring highlights from the gallery’s renowned collection, the tour traced Japan’s artistic traditions from the seventeenth century to the present day, moving from samurai armour, tea ceramics, kimono, woodblock prints, and lacquerware to modern and contemporary design.
Special attention was given to the new display, Urushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer, which celebrates the enduring and evolving art of Japanese urushi. Featuring works by leading contemporary lacquer artists, the exhibition reveals how this 7,000-year-old medium continues to inspire bold new forms and expressions today. We admired works like ishizuka Genta’s Red Flow and Mine Tanigawa’s fluid, organic sculptures that look almost impossible to fashion out of wood and sap.
Following the tour, our group walked up Exhibition Road to the Polish Club, where we enjoyed lunch in a warm and friendly atmosphere.