“Mingei” translates to “folk crafts,” but is everything crafted by “folk” necessarily mingei?  With their current exhibition at Lifestyle Design Center in Setagaya, Out of MINGEI seeks to analyze this definition and question what is, and what isn’t, counted as mingei. After their exhibition in Kyoto with their publisher Seikosha, they have held other exhibitions across Japan at venues including The Japan Folk Crafts Museum Osaka, Akita University of Art’s Gallery, Iwate Museum of Art, and now—taking a slightly different approach—the Lifestyle Design Center in Setagaya, Tokyo. Their ongoing research brings together various documents and writings, including magazines, newspapers, and diaries, and this different perspective has been a huge clue into understanding mingei. The exhibition coincides with another exhibition, MINGEI: The Beauty of Everyday Things at Setagaya Art Museum, making this is the perfect time to delve into the multi-faceted world of mingei.

Out of MINGEI | Dig up the Folk, The B-side of MINGEI!
Dates: March 29, 2024 – August 25, 2024 (Closed on Mondays except on National Holidays)
Hours: 09:00 – 21:00
Venue: Lifestyle Design Center, Setagaya
Free entry
https://www.setagaya-ldc.net/program/588/