A total of 251 lacquer artworks by artists from Taiwan and Japan will be exhibited at the Nantou-based National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) from May 1 through June 6.
Now entering its fourth year, "2021 Taiwan x Japan Contemporary Lacquerware Exchange Exhibition (2021台灣X日本當代漆藝交流展)" is a collaboration between NTCRI and Japan’s Fei Art Museum Yokohama. It will showcase the works of 25 Japanese artists and 51 Taiwanese artists, under the theme "Beauty of Warmth (美的溫暖)."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening ceremony and a seminar that followed were held virtually via a video call. Taiwanese lacquer artists Liao Sheng-wen (廖勝文) and Peng Kun-yen (彭坤炎), as well as Japanese artists Otsuka Tomotsugu (大塚智嗣), Youko Takamiya (高宮洋子) and Shiho Nakashizuk (中静志帆) were invited to share their stories behind each piece of artwork, as well as how they reinvigorate traditional lacquer artworks with a modern twist.
Director of NTCRI Zhang Ren-ji stated that, this exhibition focuses on contemporary-style lacquer artworks from Taiwan and Japan. The exhibition is expected to provide an opportunity to new generation of artists to further hone their craft skills, and broaden their horizons. Additionally, visitors can appreciate the innovative artworks jointly created by artists of both countries.
Zhang added that, this is not just an exhibition to display the art pieces, but it is a form of interaction to enhance the ties between two nations. Over the years, NTCRI has devoted to accumulating positive international exchanges and gradually forming a friendship in the field of lacquer crafts between Taiwan and Japan.
For more information, please visit NTCRI’s official website.