Setagaya Art Museum Special Exhibition: Two Perspectives on Africa, a Universe of Handcrafts

About this event

A collection exhibition by anthropologist Junzo Kawada (1934-2024) and ceramic artist Machiko Ogawa (1946-). Kawada examined culture from three perspectives—Europe, West Africa, and Japan—researching societies where oral traditions thrive, while Ogawa created unique ceramic vessels after working as a research assistant in West Africa. From their collection of over 600 handcrafted items gathered during field research and brought back to Japan, approximately 350 items will be exhibited. The exhibition begins with Kawada's encounter with Africa and their journey to North Africa together, introducing gourd vessels, woven grass baskets, indigo- and mud-dyed textiles, unglazed earthenware, and carved wooden masks and chairs encountered in Burkina Faso where they lived in the 1970s. Guided by Kawada's words as an accomplished essayist and photographs taken in the field, visitors can enjoy the intricate and dynamic world of forms created by the people of the savanna. In the final chapter, Machiko Ogawa directs the spatial design, creating an imaginative space that reinterprets the collection that has enriched their daily lives. This is a rare opportunity to view the diverse handcrafts of West Africa gathered in one place and appreciate them across the spectrum of living culture.

Venue

Setagaya Art Museum

1-2 Kinuta Park, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-0075