Contemporary Netsuke: Masterful Minatures

January 25, 2007 - June 17, 2007

The 100 objects showcased in the exhibition Contemporary Netsuke: Masterful Miniatures will be a revelation both to viewers familiar with traditional netsuke as well as to those making their initial foray into this world of miniature carvings. Based on a centuries-old Japanese art form, these tiny treasures are being produced today by established Japanese masters as well as carvers from around the world who continue to infuse this field with fresh energy and ideas. The works of 54 carvers featured in this exhibition highlight innovative materials, virtuoso techniques, and surprising subjects. They come from some of best American collections, and many of them are on display to the public for the first time.

The renowned Japanese carver Masatoshi (1915-2001) linked the traditional and modern by carving time-honored materials such as boxwood into unusual designs. His Octopus Annoyed by a Sea Louse is signed on one tentacle as “Tokisada to” (carved by Tokisada). Masatoshi once said, “I am inclined to use Tokisada when I feel that the netsuke is a radical departure from my usual subject or style.”

Equally stunning are works by carvers who revere traditional netsuke shapes, such as the round manju, but invigorate them with new materials. The American carver Brad Blakely’s interpretation of the manju format has a richly patterned surface, adorned with precious materials such as red coral, lapis lazuli, malachite, silver, and 14 carat gold.

Hiroaki selected a classic Japanese subject, the butterfly, to embellish his jewel-like netsuke produced in the astonishing and rare technique of lacquered glass.

Many works compel the viewer to look beyond the surface in order to appreciate the artist’s wit. Notorious as a Japanese culinary delicacy, the charming demeanor of Yoji’s Blowfish or Fugu belies its ability to kill the consumer if not properly prepared.

The 1989 ban on the international trade of ivory resulted in many netsuke carvers switching to mammoth or fossilized walrus tusk. The American Roy Rankin (1927-1999) shaped a piece of mammoth into a sensuous nude figure, a taboo subject among more conservative Japanese carvers.

Historically, netsuke carvers utilized durable materials with smooth surfaces during a time when netsuke were actually objects to be worn. Now that netsuke are no longer functional, but are appreciated as small sculptures, contemporary netsuke carvers experiment with new forms and delicate materials. The Austrian carver Gernot Schluifer’s Beetle, made of crystal embedded in a petrified araucaria cone, exemplifies a freedom of expression unknown in previous eras.

The innovative designs by German-born Matt Kowollik, who now resides in the United States, extend beyond the netsuke to encompass the tomobako, a box specially designed to house the precious netsuke; in the case of his Starfish with Mussel, the tomobako also serves as a display stand.

Producing and collecting contemporary netsuke began in a relatively cloistered environment that now crosses cultural and geographic borders. Carvers hail not only from Japan, but also from Australia, Austria, England, Germany, New Zealand, Ukraine, and the United States. Kiev-based carver Alexander Derkachenko gave up his career as a lead engineer in an aircraft factory to pursue his passion for carving netsuke.

Contemporary Netsuke: Masterful Miniatures unveils the international appeal of what was once a quintessentially Japanese tradition. The Museum of Arts & Design is proud to be the first museum on the East Coast to devote an exhibition entirely to the world of contemporary netsuke.

For more information about the history of netsuke, click here.

For the Teachers' Resource Packet, click here.

This exhibition has been made possible with funding from the Museum of Arts & Design’s Collectors Circle.