Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945

Showcasing the spectacular craftsmanship and sophisticated design associated with both Japan and Art Deco style, this exhibition is the first in the U.S. to explore a little-known brand of pre-WWII modernism borne of competitive ingenuity and vivacious cosmopolitanism. Curated by Dr. Kendall Brown, Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945 subtly conveys the complex social and cultural tensions in Japan during the Taisho and early Showa periods through dramatically designed examples of metalwork, ceramics, lacquer, glass, furniture, jewelry, sculpture and evocative ephemera such as sheet music, posters, postcards, prints and photography. The vitality of the era is further expressed through the theme of the moga ("modern girl")–an emblem of contemporary urban chic that flowered briefly, along with the Art Deco style, in the 1920s and ’30s.

Gallery Hours
Tues.-Thurs. 11 AM-6 PM; Fri. 11 AM-9 PM; Sat. & Sun. 11 AM-5 PM; closed Mon. & major holidays.

Docent-led walk-in tours are conducted Tues.-Sun. at 12:30 PM. Japanese Language tours are conducted Friday nights at 6 PM and at other times by appointment. Tours are free with admission and are approximately one hour in duration. To arrange group tours, call (212)715-1224.

Admission
$12; students & seniors $10; Japan Society members & children under 16 free.
Admission is free to all on Friday nights, 6-9 PM.