Exciting exhibit of KOKESHI(traditional Japanese wooden doll) at Japanese American National Museum is opening on July 11th! We customized a pair of Kokeshi titled “Forest Friends” Hope they find a good home together… All the custom KOKESHI are available for purchase here.

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KOKESHI ~from folk art to art toy~
from July 11th- October 4th, 2009

As you enter the first part of this three-section exhibition at JANM, you will be introduced to selections from the stunning collection of vintage kokeshi assembled by Itske and Anthony Stern. On July 25, the Sterns will give a slide show and lecture about their collection at JANM. This is one of the public programs for the exhibition.

The second section of the Kokeshi exhibition focuses on eleven contemporary artists who have created sculpture, paintings and graphic design inspired by their love of the kokeshi. Some artists feel a personal cultural connection to the kokeshi as Japanese icon, some are informed by their simple beauty. Included artists: Nicole De Leon, Alexandra Gjurasic, Sachiho Hino Lee, Maragret Kasahara, Emi Motokawa, Joji Okazaki, David Svenson, Kazumi Kobayashi Svenson, Phoebe Washer, James Watts, and Kathy Yoshihara.

In this dramatic third section of the exhibition, curator Christina Conway has rounded up over 100 artists for Custom Kokeshi 2009. In 2007 Conway selected 80 plus of her favorite illustrators and graphic designers from around the globe, and asked them to translate their work onto a three-dimensional wooden kokeshi form. For some who had only worked in two dimensions or on a computer, this was the ultimate challenge. But all the artists rose to the occasion to produce a lively and beautiful collection of custom kokeshi.

Japanese American National Museum(JANM)
369 E. First St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Check janm.org for hours, admission prices, and directions.