Homo Faber in Atami to feature craftwork by Japan’s 12 Living National Treasures

The Michelangelo Foundation (Geneva), which successfully organized the Homo Faber Event featuring European and Japanese craftsmanship in Venice this spring — as a part of Biennale Arte 2022 — has brought a portion of the event to the MOA Museum of Art (Atami, Shizuoka Pref.) this fall “from an earnest desire to re-create its overwhelming success back in Japan.”

HOMO FABER, 12 Stone Garden
Naoto Fukasawa and 12 Living National Treasures

Oct 28 (Fri) – Dec 11 (Sun), 2022

MOA Museum of Art
(Atami, Shizuoka Pref.)

*See outline below for more info

The “12 Stone Garden,” one of the exhibitions at the Homo Faber Event, showcased masterworks of 12 Japanese “Living National Treasures” (individuals certified by the Japanese government as preservers of important intangible cultural properties) — namely, Imaemon Imaizumi XIV (overglazed porcelain), Zenzo Fukushima (Koishiwara ware pottery), Kunihiko Moriguchi (yuzen textile), Sonoko Sasaki (tsumugi textiles), Kazumi Murose (maki-e), Isao Onishi (kyushitsu), Yukie Osumi (metal forging), Noboru Fujinuma (bamboowork), Komao Hayashi (toso dolls), Jun Isezaki (Bizen ware pottery), Takeshi Kitamura (ra fabric) and Kenji Suda (woodwork) — and was met with great enthusiasm.

The same “12 Stone Garden” — curated by designer Naoto Fukasawa and MOA director Tokugo Uchida, co-curators of the exhibition in Venice — opened at the MOA on Oct. 28, 2022, and will run through Dec. 11, 2022. The works on display include kimonos, an urushi lacquered harp and a bamboo flower basket.

The Michelangelo Foundation is a private, international, non-profit organization based in Geneva to preserve, encourage and promote fine craftsmanship.