Yesterday, since I had to go to the Japan Society to take care of some business, I took the opportunity to visit the Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945 exhibition (I was invited to the opening, but I could not make it that day).

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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.

Although the cold (even hard) design of Art Deco does not blend too well with traditional Japanese design, there were a few superb examples of works that were really worth studying.

As a cute added bonus, the origami sakura tree where anyone is invited to add their own flower. Beautiful.

And, to top it off, lunch (excellent home made soba) at SEO Japanese Restaurant. ^_^

A wonderful day, perfect prelude for this Saturday`s j-CATION (sakura-sayonara).