Folk potter and modern artist Kawai Kanjirō at Japan Society NYC

Japan Society New York presents “Kawai Kanjirō: House to House,” the first U.S. retrospective devoted to folk potter and modern artist Kawai Kanjirō (1890–1966). Kawai is widely known as a founding member of the Mingei (folk art) movement in Japan and is respected for his functional ceramics made in the spirit of folk pottery.

On view from March 10 through May 10, 2026, the exhibition traces Kawai’s contributions to 20th-century ceramics, while also introducing little-known elements of Kawai’s diverse and impactful artistic practice: wooden sculptures and masks, calligraphy, poetry, and design.

The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Michele Bambling, Japan Society Gallery Senior Director, and Sagi Tamae, Curator, Kawai Kanjirō House, and Kawai Kanjirō’s granddaughter.

The exhibition showcases works across various media from the artist’s personal collection housed at the Kawai Kanjirō House in Kyoto, on view for the first time outside of Japan. “House to House,” the exhibition title, celebrates this milestone international exchange of artworks traveling from the Kawai Kanjirō House in Kyoto to Japan House (home of Japan Society) in New York.

The exhibition design is also infused with the warm, handmade spirit of Kawai’s Kyoto home, which he designed and decorated with his artworks. During his lifetime, Kawai’s home served not only as his residence, studio, and site of his wood-fired climbing kiln, but also as a gathering place for friends, artists, and craftspeople, embodying his belief that art, craft, and daily life were inseparable. Following his death, the house opened to the public in 1973 as the privately run commemorative museum Kawai Kanjirō House, preserving both his collection and creative environment.

The exhibition features a chronological presentation of Kawai’s pottery that illustrates the different phases of his ceramics career across the 20th century. His many unsigned works embrace the principles of the Mingei (folk art) movement, which he established in the mid-1920s along with his friends, philosopher and art critic Yanagi Sōetsu (1889–1961) and potter Hamada Shōji (1894–1978). The three friends championed handmade, functional, and simple objects created by anonymous craftsmen rather than fine artworks by individual authors. In Kawai’s late career, however, he moved away from the utilitarian folk pottery, exploring non-functional sculptural ceramics and debuting experimental techniques.

Expanding beyond Kawai’s ceramic practice, the exhibition introduces visitors to the artist’s prolific wood carving practice with the largest display of his wooden sculptures and masks to date. Inspired by exciting postwar images of modern artworks, new technology, and archaeological findings, these whimsical works reveal the breadth of Kawai’s curiosity and his role advancing Japanese art in new directions after the war. Kawai’s unique artistic philosophy, expressed in his calligraphy and poetry, and in his collaborative publications with printmaker Munakata Shikō (1903–1975), will also be explored.

Newly filmed video footage will present a tour of the Kawai Kanjirō House and preparations for the exhibition. This footage will be incorporated into a feature-length documentary that chronicles the making of Kawai Kanjirō: House to House. Finally, the exhibition will feature works by Kawai’s close friends and Mingei colleagues, Munakata Shikō and Hamada Shōji, from Japan Society’s art collection. These artworks, which were gifts to Japan Society Gallery from the artists, highlight the institution’s historical role bridging Japanese craft traditions and global modernism, and illuminate the 20th-century artistic connections between New York and Japan.

“Marking the centennial of the Mingei movement and the sixtieth anniversary of the artist’s passing, the exhibition offers a timely reconsideration of Kawai Kanjirō’s legacy,” says Dr. Michele Bambling, Senior Director of Japan Society Gallery. “By tracing his multimedia contributions to modern Japanese art through the personal lens of his home and studio, the exhibition not only solidifies Kawai as a key international voice in folk craft, but also presents him as a modernist and avant-garde thinker whose ideas continue to resonate strongly with contemporary conversations around art, design, and everyday life.”

Visit the exhibition webpage for the latest information on public programs.

ABOUT JAPAN SOCIETY GALLERY

Since 1971, Japan Society Gallery has been the premier institution in the United States for the display and interpretation of Japanese art and culture in a global context. Through groundbreaking exhibitions and related programs, the Gallery cultivates a broader understanding and appreciation of Japan’s contributions to global artistic heritage; explores the artistic interconnections Japan shares with Asia, the U.S., Latin America, and Europe; and celebrates the diversity of Japanese visual expression from prehistoric times to the present day.

ABOUT JAPAN SOCIETY

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world. At Japan Society, we are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna (絆) – forging deep connections to bind people together. We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond. In over 100 years of work, we’ve inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business, and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S.

We strive to convene important conversations on topics that bind our two countries together, champion the next generation of innovative creators, promote mutual understanding and serve as a trusted guide for people everywhere who seek to appreciate the rich complexities and abundance of Japan more fully.

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