Kawaii: Crafting the Japanese Culture of Cute
- Submitting institution
-
University for the Creative Arts
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- Millar, L. 2015. Kawaii
- Type
- M - Exhibition
- Venue(s)
- University for the Creative Arts (Farnham), Rugby Art Gallery and Museum (Rugby)
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of first exhibition
- -
- Year of first exhibition
- 2015
- URL
-
https://research.uca.ac.uk/2897/
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
-
- Research group(s)
-
1 - Crafts and Textile Research
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- ‘Kawaii: Crafting the Japanese Culture of Cute’ is an exhibition curated by Professor Lesley Millar. The exhibition had two iterations, the first taking place at James Hockey Gallery at the University for the Creative Arts and the second at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum.
The exhibition featured 16 Japanese artists selected by Millar who explored the concept of Kawaii through a range of different crafts and media. The catalogue was edited by Millar, who also contributed one of the three essays, inviting others from Jessica Litherland, the Senior Exhibitions Officer at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, and the Japanese independent journalist Mikako Sawada.
The research in ‘Kawaii’ re-contextualises contemporary craft practices through the re-mediation of traditional, enduring skills. This was exemplified by works which engage with, and critique, the perception of the ephemeral and transient culture of ‘Kawaii’. The project provides new insights by demonstrating that craft, acting as the conduit connecting concept, theory and outcome, becomes the dynamic edge between tradition, new technology, haptic knowledge and the oppositions of ‘Kawaii’.
Supporting contextual information includes details of the research context, aims and processes that led to new insights, and images of the exhibitions. It also includes a PDF of the ‘Kawaii’ catalogue, and evidence of visitor numbers, external grants, press and publicity in major newspapers, magazines and the media.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
