A KOGEI Preview in Milan will be presented in Milan during Milan Design Week from 20 to 24 April, bringing together selected works from different regions of Japan for an international audience of collectors, advisors, designers, architects, hospitality professionals, and cultural interlocutors.
In this context, KOGEI is not used as a narrow synonym for “craft.” It refers instead to Japanese works in which material depth, regional provenance, technical discipline, and cultural continuity come together in forms that also hold strong contemporary relevance.
The presentation will include selected works such as Bizen ceramic works, Echizen Washi, Kutani ware, and Edo Kiriko. Featured artists and makers include Kiyokatsu Matsumiya (Echizen Washi), Ryuichi Kakurezaki (Bizen ceramic work), and Takashi Baba (Bizen ceramic work). Rather than presenting Japanese tradition as folklore or heritage display alone, the exhibition aims to place these works in a serious international context through the lenses of space, collectibility, material culture, and long-term cultural value.