An exhibition on “Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke” will open at Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam on January 24.

Exhibition showcases Japan’s contemporary netsuke carved of wood

The event will present 65 works by 64 Japanese contemporary netsuke carvers.

A netsuke is a non-slip toggle that has been used since the Edo period (1603-1868) to secure the small personal items such as money pouches, inro-(medicine container), or tobacco containers worn suspended on cords from the obi (a sash worn with kimono).

As Western clothing was adopted from the Meiji period (1868-1911), netsuke disappeared from daily life in Japan. Since the 1970s, a new genre, contemporary netsuke, has taken shape, inspired by new sensibilities and ideas. Today, contemporary netsuke carvers continue to ply their craft, steadily producing to new works.

The exhibition is a chance for Vietnamese viewers to explore the highly artistic skills of Japanese artisansand as well as the beauty and charm of netsuke today, when they are not longer part of everyday life. The display co-organized by the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam and the Embassy of Japan aims to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Vietnam in 2018.

The exhibition will run from January 24-February 12, and on February 23-March 15.

SGGP