Press Room

New York, NY (October 16, 2015)

The Museum of Arts and Design, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan are pleased to announce their collaboration on the occasion of the exhibition Japanese Kōgei | Future Forward on view from October 20, 2015 to February 7, 2016, which presents the work of 12 established and emergent kōgei artists, and examines the changing role of this discipline within Japanese culture today.

A prototype 8K display with wide-gamut, currently the only one on view in the United States, will be displayed in the Japanese Kōgei galleries from October 19, 2015 to December 7, 2015 and utilized to showcase the incredible skill and artistry of the works exhibited in intense detail and lifelike video.

Allowing for a resolution of about 33 million pixels—16 times higher than current digital TV High Definition broadcasting standards—the 8K technology renders extraordinarily clear and vivid images and will be used to complement the experience and understanding of the kōgei art works for museum goers.

"We are honored to collaborate on this project with the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications from Japan" stated Nanette L. Laitman Director Glenn Adamson. "The experience of looking through an exhibition case can at times be less 'intimate' than what can be experienced through the astoundingly vibrant resolution of 8K. The technology was interesting for us as another touchpoint of encounter for visitors, further illuminating the techniques and artistry at play."

Japanese Kōgei | Future Forward is organized by the Museum of Arts and Design and co-organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Kanazawa Art Promotion and Development Foundation).

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) champions contemporary makers across creative fields, presenting artists, designers, and artisans who apply the highest level of ingenuity and skill to their work. Since the Museum’s founding in 1956 by philanthropist and visionary Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated all facets of making and the creative processes by which materials are transformed, from traditional techniques to cutting-edge technologies. Today, the Museum’s curatorial program builds upon a rich history of exhibitions that emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives. MAD provides an international platform for practitioners who are influencing the direction of cultural production and driving 21st-century innovation, fostering a participatory setting for visitors to have direct encounters with skilled making and compelling works of art and design.