"ROOTS OF METALCRAFT: Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata, Japan" was held at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in Singapore.The purpose of this exhibition is to convey the culture and history of casually used metal products and rediscover their charm and value. More
Tsubame-Sanjo is an internationally renowned manufacturing region specializing in a wide variety of metal products and manufacturing services. The regionʼs evolution into a metalworking hub began from traditional nailsmithing in the Edo period (1603 ‒ 1868).
In recent years, Tsubame-Sanjo has faced falling prices, decreases in demand, changes in distribution, and a shortage of business successors. But these are only the most recent challenges in the history of Tsubame-Sanjoʼs metalworking industry.
The stars of the regionʼs history are the generations of nameless artisans and master craftsmen; men and women who have continued to protect the flame of craftsmanship while creating new techniques and giving birth to new industries.
Date:February 21 - March 22, 2020
Venue:Ngee Ann Kongsi Gallery1&2, Campus 1
Organizer:Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival Committee
Creative Direction: method inc. (Yu Yamada)
Art Direction & Design: SPREAD (Haruna Yamada, Hirokazu Kobayashi)
Photography & Video: Ooki Jingu, Kazuhiro Kodaira
Projection: Tomoya Kishimoto
Text Edition: Yoshinao Yamada
English Translation: Zackary Kaplan
PR: HOW INC.