Mingei

Exhibition at the William Morris Gallery, London, 23 March - 22 September 2024

Originating in Japan in the 1920s, the Mingei movement was based on the principle that beauty is inherent in handmade, everyday objects created by anonymous craftspeople. Spearheaded by the philosopher Yanagi Sōetsu, and potters Hamada Shōji and Bernard Leach, the movement sought to elevate the status of folk craft in a rapidly modernising society.

This book covers a wide range of objects associated with Mingei, from ceramics and furniture to textiles and toys, alongside a series of profiles of leading designers and makers working in Japan today. The volume explores Mingei's origins, interpretations and contemporary implications, shedding new light on the ways in which the principles of the movement remain relevant to today's personal, social and environmental concerns.