[Isehan Honten] “A Journey with Akae-saibyo: Takeyama Fukushima’s 77th-Birthday Exhibition” held by Beni Museum

Isehan Honten has preserved the tradition of making beni (rouge) and passed down this unique culture as the last existing beniya (beni manufacturer). Their store located along Kotto-dori in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo, and Beni Museum are patronized by men and women of all ages. In addition to its permanent exhibition on the history of beni and makeup showcasing Edo-period makeup tools and ukiyoe woodblock prints, Beni Museum also regularly holds exhibition projects, events, and thematic exhibitions.
The museum is currently holding “A Journey with Akae-saibyo: Takeyama Fukushima’s 77th-Birthday Exhibition” to commemorate the 77th birthday of Takeyama Fukushima, a leading Kutani ware ceramic artist who is well-versed in the Akae-saibyo technique of drawing patterns with fine lines. This exhibition features approximately 50 of his works, including past works that are representative of the different phases in Fukushima’s career and works drawn from the collection of Ms. Sawada, the president of Isehan Group, who owns many exquisite and accomplished works.

Eleven years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake struck. The “Aka-amite Mebae Plate” is a work created that year that was named after the disaster in the hope that plants would one day return to the area and revitalize it despite the unspeakably harsh conditions there (see top image). The delicate red lines on this work were drawn by Fukushima himself. We hope that you will enjoy Fukushima’s vibrant representations of Chinese persons and the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, his abstract designs that seek to capture nature through combinations of uniform lines, as well as the technique, worldview, and rich sense of humanity that shine through the works produced over the course of his artistic career.

Exhibition period: February 26th (Saturday) to April 9th (Saturday), 2022
*Some of the works on display will be rotated during the exhibition period. First part: February 26th (Saturday) to March 12th (Saturday) / Second part: March 15th (Tuesday) to April 9th (Saturday)

Opening hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last admission: 4:30 PM)
Closed on: Sundays and Mondays
Admission: Free
Organizer: Isehan Honten Co., Ltd. / In partnership with: Nomi City Kutani Ware Museum Gosaikan
Venue: Beni Museum (K’s Minamiaoyama Bldg. 1F, 6-6-20 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Tel: 03-5467-3735
Website:https://www.isehanhonten.co.jp/museum/

*Please note that the exhibition period and opening hours are subject to change and admission restrictions may be imposed in view of the COVID-19 situation and advisories issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and/or the national government. Please check the official website for the latest information before visiting the exhibition.

★Other works such as Takeyama Fukushima’s Komachi-beni collaboration works are also on display and for sale.

Incense burner with a white elephant design