The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Komaba, Tokyo will be holding the exhibition "Munakata Shiko and Yanagi Soetsu" from January 11th to March 25th, 2018.
 Kannon Sutra Mandala "Asura's Shackles" 1938 41.5 x 50.5 cm
Born in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture, printmaker Munakata Shiko moved to Tokyo with the aim of becoming a painter, and eventually decided to make printmaking his life's work. Yanagi Soetsu, founder of the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, and Munakata Shiko first met at a Kokugakai exhibition in April 1936. Yanagi immediately decided to purchase Munakata's "Yamato Shi Utsukushi" and has been guiding and supervising his work ever since. Six months later, when the museum opened, his new work "Kegon Fu" adorned the entire wall of the great hall.

Munakata Shiko looked up to Yanagi Soetsu as his lifelong mentor, bringing each completed work to him to ask for his opinion, and even when he was ordered to re-carve it, he quietly complied. Meanwhile, Yanagi Soetsu worked diligently on devising mounting methods to bring out the best in Munakata Shiko's work. These interactions are preserved in letters exchanged between the two, giving us a glimpse into the deep trust-based relationship between teacher and student.

Japanese painting "Don't Rain Carp", 1939, 32.0 x 58.0 cm
This exhibition will display representative works by Munakata Shiko that caught Yanagi Soetsu's eye over the 25 years from their first meeting until his death. It will also introduce the appeal of Munakata's work by exploring the differences in their relationship and thought through letters between the two men, which will be shown for the first time in decades, including "Seal of the Sea and Mountains" and "Seal of the Heart Sutra Text on Woodblock Print".

In addition, on January 19th and February 16th, gallery talks by Ishii Yoriko, a researcher and curator of Munakata Shiko, will be held from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. On March 3rd, a commemorative talk will be held between Matsui Ken, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, and Ishii Yoriko from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Participation in the commemorative talk costs 300 yen, in addition to museum admission, and reservations are required. Participation in the gallery talk is free.