We would like to celebrate the opening of the Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition 2017. This is the exhibition’s eleventh event since it originally started in 1989 as an international Urushi ware competition that accepted entries from all over the world. Each time, the exhibition accepted many excellent works from home and abroad. Thus, this exhibition has built a high reputation as a world showcase to introduce ‘The Future of Urushi Ware’.
It has grown into an exhibition that explores new dynamic way to interpret Urushi ware. We have held the exhibition hoping that it would help rejuvenate Urushi related industries, promote international exchange and enrich the lives of people with Urushi by pursuing new lifestyles with sensitivity. We hope that people will recognize the fact that Urushi ware has been cherished and used for its great beauty and durability for a long time. We will continue to appreciate the heritage of its techniques and craftsmanship.
This exhibition provides an opportunity to explore new trends, novel proposals and various possibilities of Urushi ware.

The Executive Committee of The Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition (includes representatives from: Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa City, Wajima City, Kaga City, The Kanazawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Wajima Urushi Ware Cooperative Society, Yamanaka Lacquerware Cooperative Society, Kanazawa Urushi Ware Cooperative Society, and Design Center Ishikawa)

(In Japan)
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan Institute of Design Promotion, Japan Design Foundation, International Design Center Nagoya Inc., Japan Traditional Craft Center, Japan Paint Manufacturers Association, Japan Urushi Arts and Crafts Association, Japan Lacquerware Cooperative Societies Association, Japan Industrial Designers Association, Japan Interior Designers Association, Japan Craft Design Association, Japan Graphic Designers Association, Japan Jewelry Designers Association, World Urushi Culture Council, Nippon Urushi Network,

(In Ishikawa)
Hokuriku Industrial Advancement Center, Ishikawa Prefectural Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Wajima Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Kaga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Yamanaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ishikawa Machinery and Electronics Association, Ishikawa Textile Association, Ishikawa Interior Industry Association, Ishikawa Craft Design Association, Ishikawa Visual Design Association, Ishikawa Construction Design Management Association, Ishikawa Product Design Association, Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) Kanazawa, The Hokkoku Shimbun

ASAHI SOSETSU CO., LTD., Takakuwa Art Printing Inc., Tamada Industries Inc., NAKASHIMA CO., LTD., NAKADA CO., LTD., NIPPON EXPRESS CO., LTD. KANAZAWA BRANCH, NOSAKU CO., LTD., VAL DESIGN GROUP CO., LTD.

Period: from the beginning of August 2016 until March 3, 2017
Requirements for Application: works must be lacquered with Urushi
Number of applications received: 176 from 11 nations and regions
(99 of which are from Japan)

Choose either the Design or the Art Category.
Design Category: Where the work is a commercial product that can be produced and distributed systematically
Art Category: Where expression is the primary objective of the work

Date: April 14, 2017
Assessment Panel:

Nagatoshi Ohnishi (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Professor Emeritus at Tokyo National University of
Fine Arts and Music

Shinichi Yamamura (Japan)

Design Consultant, President of  Cobo Design Co., Ltd.

Teruko Mitarai (Japan)

Representative Director of T-POT Inc.

Shinya Yamamura (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Professor at the Kanazawa College of Art

Number of works selected:
81 works from 8 nations and regions (58 of which are from Japan)

80 works from 7 nations and regions (58 of which are from Japan) were assessed.　Date: June 29, 2017

Assessment Panel:

Nagatoshi Ohnishi (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Professor Emeritus at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

Motomi Kawakami (Japan)

Chairman of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP),
Representative of Kawakami Design Room Ltd.

Shinichi Yamamura (Japan)

Design Consultant, President of Cobo Design Co., Ltd.

Setsuko Yamada (Japan)

Design Coordinator, Representative of TWIN Inc.

Kaoru Uchino (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Instructor at Ishikawa Wajima Lacquer Arts Training Institute

Nobuyuki Tanaka (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Professor at the Kanazawa College of Art

Shinya Yamamura (Japan)

Urushi Artist, Professor at the Kanazawa College of Art

 

Prize Money

Grand Prize

   ¥1,000,000 (awarded to 1 work)

Gold Prizes

      ¥200,000 (awarded to 2 works *1)

Silver Prizes

      ¥100,000 (awarded to 2 works *1)

Honorable Mentions

        ¥50,000 (awarded to 4 works *2)

Jurors’ Special Prizes

        ¥30,000 (awarded to 7 works)

*1 From each category, 1 Prize winner was selected.
*2 From each category, 2 Prize winners were selected.

Comments on the Final Assessment and prize winners
Date: June 30, 2017
Venue: The Ground Floor Hall The Kanazawa Chamber of Commerce & Industry