wamono art is excited to showcase collection objects that were introduced in two Paris exhibitions at Japonismes 2018: les âmes en resonance, a joint project between Japan and France in commemoration of the 160^th anniversary of their friendship between the two countries. 

In this exhibition, some of the works and artists from Japon Japonismes. Objets inspirés, 1867-2018 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and Fendre l'air, Art du bambou au Japon in Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac will be shown. In addition, these exhibited works illustrate the wide variety of the aesthetic impressions of Japanese art. 

This group exhibition covers bamboo, glass, and urushi artists including Kazutoshi KIZAKI, Yukito NISHINAKA, Kenji TOKI, Jin MORIGAMI, Tokuzo SHONO, Kei HASEGAWA, and Masaya IKE.

Yukito Nishinaga

Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1964, Nishinaka currently lives in Chiba Prefecture. After graduating from Hoshi University of Pharmacy, Nishinaka studied sculpture and glass art at California College of the Arts. Recent exhibitions include Japon-Japonismes. Objets inspirés, 1867–2018 (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 2018), Living Kogei (University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, 2019) and Visionaries: Making Another Perspective (Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, 2023). He dedicated a glass version of a traditional karesansui dry garden to Hōnen-in temple in Kyoto in 2019. He won the Grand Prize at the 1^st Contemporary Glass Exhibition in Satsuma, Kagoshima. His works are held in many significant collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum and Ashmolean Museum in UK.

Kei Hasegawa

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1986. Artist. She graduated from the Craft Arts (Bamboo Arts) Course at the Traditional Arts Super College of Kyoto in March 2009. After graduating, she spent two years teaching bamboo craft arts in Venezuela. She has been based in Oita Prefecture since 2014. Her many awards include the Grand Prize at the 22^nd Japan Bamboo Arts Exhibition in 2017. Major exhibitions include Japon-Japonismes. Objets inspirés, 1867–2018 (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 2018– 2019), The Shape of Bamboo VIII— Learning from History II (Oita Prefectural Art Museum, 2016) and Visionaries: Making Another Perspective (Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, 2023)

Kenji Toki 

Born in Kyoto in 1969 and based in Japan, Kenji Toki has been working as a contemporary craft practitioner exploring representation of urushi (Japanese lacquer) with diverse materials and measures such as carbon fibre and photograph and exhibiting internationally since 1995. He has been undertaking the research into rapid prototyping (usually used in industrial processing) and how these techniques can be applied and utilised within craft and art, especially in relation to urushi. In 2011, he did a Ph.D. Research into the Urushi collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, UK. His works are in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, US, Victoria & Albert Museum, UK, and other internationally renowned museums.

Jin Morigami 

Jin Morigami (b. 1955, Japan) was born to several generations of bamboo-craft families. His fame reached its highest point when one of his Nawame ami works was added to the permanent collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, US in 2009 as the first contemporary Japanese bamboo artist represented. The other signature Mutsume ami series was exhibited at Fendre l'air, Art du bambou au Japon in Musée du quai Branly, Paris, France. His works are also collections of internationally renowned museums including Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, US, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, US, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, US, Philadelphia Museum of Art, US, and Oita Prefecture Art Hall, Japan.

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