RIGA.- The Japan Foundation travelling exhibition NINGYŌ: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls is on view in the Bosse Hall of the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE in Riga (Doma laukums 6) from 11 January to 9 March 2025.
This insightful book explores the rich history and cultural significance of Japanese dolls, from ancient traditions to contemporary innovations.
The exhibition was prepared as a successor to the Japan Foundation highly popular travelling exhibition The Dolls of Japan: Shapes of Prayer, Embodiments of Love. Under the title NINGYŌ, which means “human shape” in Japanese, the doll culture that has been cultivated over the long history of Japan is introduced through a total of 67 carefully selected dolls, divided into four sections: Ningyō to pray for children’s growth, Ningyō as fine art, Ningyō as folk art, and Spread of Ningyō culture.
The fact that dolls are an indispensable part of our daily lives is not limited to Japan, but the diversity of dolls and their delicate craftsmanship, backed by a deep love of dolls, could be said to be the characteristics of Japanese doll culture. This exhibition presents a comprehensive introduction to the aesthetics of Japanese dolls – from Katashiro and Amagatsu, which are considered to be the archetypes of dolls in Japan, to local dolls that reflect the climate and anecdotes from across the country, to dress-up dolls that are beloved in Japan today as doll toys, and scale figures that are highly regarded around the world.
The Japan Foundation endeavours to promote international mutual understanding, setting its mission “Cultivating friendship and ties between Japan and the world” in its main areas of activity: arts and cultural exchange, Japanese language education overseas, Japanese studies and intellectual exchange.
In the field of arts and cultural exchange, the Foundation focuses on activities to introduce Japanese art and culture overseas, and in conjunction with these activities, the Foundation continuously conducts the Travelling Exhibition Programme organised with artworks from the Foundation’s own collection. These exhibitions feature about 15 different types of art, including contemporary art, crafts, photography, architecture, design, manga, and Japanese dolls, and are held every year at approximately 80 museums and exhibition facilities around the world. It is Foundation’s hope that these exhibitions, which connect Japan and other countries, will bring people together and generate a dialogue around creativity through the sharing of rich artistic experiences.
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