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What would happen when Pokémon, the mass produced, cultural behemoth, meets kogei, the traditional form of Japanese crafts?

There are no bad or stupid questions, but it’s undeniable that some are clearly better than others. Questions can be disruptive or propel cultural transformation. They can even get you slapped upside the head. Many artists’ output emerge from the tiny space between the question and answer. The work itself is the residue or the artifact of the force the right questions tend to produce. Here’s an interesting question: What would happen when Pokémon, the mass produced, cultural behemoth, meets kogei, the traditional form of Japanese crafts?

Yoshida Taiichiro “Vaporeon” Detail, copper, silver gilding, engraving, hammering, patination, cloisonné Japan House, Los Angeles

There are no bad or stupid questions, but it’s undeniable that some are clearly better than others. Questions can be disruptive or propel cultural transformation. They can even get you slapped upside the head. Many artists’ output emerge from the tiny space between the question and answer.  The work itself is the residue or the artifact of the force the right questions tend to produce. Here’s an interesting question: What would happen when Pokémon, the mass produced, cultural behemoth, meets kogei, the traditional form of Japanese crafts?

Masumoto Keiko “Charizard/Shigaraki Jar”, stoneware, throwing, hand building
Japan House, Los Angeles

The answer isn’t quite disruptive, it’s easily dismissable and due to its mass market appeal, can be overlooked. It certainly won’t get you assaulted. The question, however, is perfectly right. To whomever would overlook or dismiss POKÉMON X KOGEI: Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft, it’s your loss. This show, which traveled from the National Crafts Museum in Kanazawa, Japan, is just really beautiful.  o be James Joyce level dramatic, it “..sent up vapors of maddening incense before the eyes of my mind”.

Yoshida Taiichiro “Flareon”, copper, silver gilding, engraving,
hammering, patination, cloisonné Japan House, Los Angeles

The depth of its charm is no less than the distance from the advent of kogei, which dates back to the early settlement of Japan, up until right now, 2023. It’s deep. The historical throughline in most art being produced today (ahem, painting), is sadly underdeveloped, accidental, confused or just not there. It’s crystal clear in this show. Early in the 20th century, industrial production was introduced and kogei, the once dominant source of practical objects in Japan, was under threat. Various protections were put into place by the Japanese government and eventually a certain amount of prestige came with being a kogei artisan. The work started to become increasingly sophisticated.

Mitsuta Haruo “Articulated Metapod/Butterfree”, copper, silver, shakudo (copper alloy with gold), engraving, hammering, inlay, patination Japan House, Los Angeles
Image scanned from: POKÉMON X KOGEI: Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft Official Catalog

The inhumanity and unspeakable atrocities of World War II left the country devastated and kogei suffered, yet protections continued to develop as the world changed. In 1950, the “Living National Treasure” program was introduced and to this day, it provides subsidies to those certified as “Preservers of Important Intangible Cultural Properties”. In all, 371 people have shared this distinction, 111 of whom are still alive and 1 is included in the exhibition, Morihito Katsura. That’s a generalization of a very complicated history, of course, but my point is that it’s clear and developed. This show is the legacy of the preservation and protection of all the various forms of production associated with kogei: Ceramics, Textiles, Lacquerware, Wood and Bamboo, Metalwork, Dolls, Enameling and Papermaking.

Hayashi Shigeki “Moonlight” Pokémon Edition, porcelain, slip casting, overglaze enamels Japan House los Angeles

The historical lineage is a fascinating one, especially when it’s projected so clearly. But. How do these pieces look? Well, to be perfectly honest, every single piece in this show is, in its own way, the star of the show. I rarely gush about anything, but when artwork is as skillfully produced as this, It’s hard to help myself. How can any artist go to this show and not walk out of Japan House without feeling all of their imaginative desires gushing forth from every hole in their body and mind?

Kuwata Takuro “Cups (Pikachu)”, porcelain, stoneware, machine molding, throwing, overglaze gold and silver, transfer printing Japan House, Los Angeles

This is a refreshing and exciting exhibition, especially at a time when most gallery shows function more as showrooms, as nightmare heterotopias that display serialized work produced and keyed up to be viewed on a screen. Art seems to be slowly moving towards complete glaciation, yet shows like POKÉMON X KOGEI are the ones that push back and breathe life into something that’s maybe just in cryosleep. With any luck, it will slowly redirect itself and wake up reinvigorated and in new territory, where tactility, the preservation of various traditions, warmth, human touch are humor, with just a little kawaii, are the foundation of continuity that propel the forms of production forward. I’m reluctant to single out any artist, because it all seems to be bigger than just one. The unity that expresses itself overrides the need for a star of the show.  It’s an island unto itself.  If you overlook this show, maybe what that means is that your head is way too far up unspeakable places. You’ll miss your chance at looking into the enameled eyes of the stoneware Scorbunny and in reciprocal motion, seeing yourself returned back to you as a participant of and a spectator to history as it unfolds at the very edge of right now, 2023.

Ueba Kasumi, “Kaenmon Hibany” stoneware, hand building, overglaze enamels Japan House, Los Angeles

JAPAN HOUSE seeks to foster awareness and appreciation for Japan around the world by showcasing the emerging art of the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, technology, and more. An innovative project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JAPAN HOUSE is comprised of three hubs—London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo.

JAPAN HOUSE LOS ANGELES occupies two floors in the popular Ovation Hollywood entertainment complex and brings various aspects of Japan to American and international audiences. 

On the second floor, the facility spans more than 6,000 sq. ft. and features an exhibition gallery and a sub-gallery suitable for intimate gallery talks and smaller exhibitions. The fifth-floor space spans 8,000 sq. ft, and features a relaxing library, a multi-purpose event venue, and simply spectacular views of Los Angeles.

For more information, please visit: https://www.japanhousela.com/

POKÉMON X KOGEI: Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft Official Catalog available for purchase at: https://www.waza-nyc.com/products/pokemon-kogei