The Act of Making: Intersections of Region, Lifestyle, and Faith is a sequel to last year’s exhibition, The Future of Craft Aesthetics: Kogei, Contemporary Art, and Art Brut, which explored the relationship and creative potential of materials and processes that transcend the boundaries of genre. This year’s exhibition explores the uses and techniques surrounding a diverse range of materials, including fibers, textiles, ceramics, lacquer, metal, wood, and paper, recontextualizing them within the broader scope of “the act of making” as seen through the creative endeavors of the participating artists.

Artists by material and theme are as follows: Works by Kashio Satomi, Kawai Yumiko, Komoriya Akira, Fukumoto Shihoko, Hosoo Masataka, and Yoshida Shinichiro demonstrate the diverse, expressive possibilities of fibers and textiles. Kondo Nanase, Nara Yuki, and Niisato Akio use pottery and metalworking techniques typical of craft traditions to produce hybrid works that challenge established genres. The art of Inoue Yui, Ukai Kohei, and Sago Michiko pushes the boundaries of craft expression while engaging with material and place. Konoike Tomoko, Hashimoto Masaya, and Roppongi Yurika establish new narratives surrounding region and history, fashioning them into works of art. Pieces by Kosogawa Runa and Miyaki Ana express the interrelations of material, world, self, and other through the mediation of the body and human existence. Irisawa Taku, Kamae Kazumi, and Ogasawara Shin explore expression from the perspective of “play,” transcending the question of technique and antitechnique to render such frameworks irrelevant.

Exhibition visitors can enjoy site-specific art displayed in the buildings, gardens, and natural spaces of prominent temples and shrines in Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui Prefectures.