19/4/2010 – 15/5/2010

GALERI GALLERY ADIWARNA
PUSAT PENGAJIAN SENI, USM
SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, USM
Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang
T 604 657 7888 F 604 656 0461
www.usm.my

INTRODUCTION

Since it was founded in 1972, the Japan Foundation has been carrying out cultural exchange programs with the purpose of deepening mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. We are actively involved in the exhibition of Japanese art, coordinating the Japanese segment of international exhibitions such as the Venice Beinnale and the Sao Paulo Biennial. We also organize exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary Japanese art in cooperation with art museums around the world.

In parallel with these activities, we organize many touring exhibitions that go to locations throughout the world. The content of these traveling exhibitions is wide-ranging, from prints, posters, and crafts to Japanese dolls, and traditional toys. At present, there are some twenty of these exhibitions traveling throughout the world at museums and cultural institutions as well as Japanese embassies and the overseas offices of the Japan Foundation.

This traveling exhibition, “Japanese Design Today 100,” is a selection of approximately 100 of the finest examples of Japanese design created between the 1990s and the present, focusing on products used in everyday life. Another 13 objects of modern design are included from the early postwar years (mainly from the fifties) to show the origin of today’s design.

The design of household products acts as a mirror, reflecting the life of our society and the personal lifestyles of individuals. These designs give a vivid picture of the hopes and dreams of the people who use the products as well as the designers and corporations who create them. We hope that this exhibition will increase visitors’ knowledge of the recent trends and features of Japanese design and at the same time give them insights into the nature of today’s Japanese culture.

We would like to express our appreciation for the extensive assistance provided by corporations and designers in preparing this exhibition and the effort made by the selection committee. We would also like to thank all of the other individuals and organizations who helped make this exhibition a reality.

---The Japan Foundation