The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Presents 'Who Does Jewelry Dream Of?' (October 24, 2026 – January 17, 2027)

Design: Atsuki Kikuchi

Left: Akiko Shinsato, Head/Nose Piece 'Another Skin' (2015), gold-plated brass, Swarovski crystals, artist's collection; Otto Künzli, Brooch 'Swiss Gold' (1983), cardboard, acrylic, collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto ©Otto Künzli, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025

From Saturday, October 24, 2026, to Sunday, January 17, 2027, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto will present the exhibition 'Who Does Jewelry Dream Of?'

What kind of jewelry truly suits you? Not dictated by others' gazes or age, nor defined by famous brands, but as an expression of your inner self—something that empowers and enriches your life. This exhibition showcases the creative endeavors of artists exploring such aspirations.

In 1964, during a time when jewelry was not yet mainstream in Japan, the Japan Jewelry Designers Association (JJDA) was founded by artists including Yasuki Hiramatsumoto (1926–2012) and Yasuhiko Hishida (1927–1981). The 'International Jewelry Art Exhibition,' organized by JJDA at Seibu Department Store in Shibuya from 1970 to 1986, introduced Western trends to Japan and promoted the concept of design beyond material value. From the late 1970s, works emerged in Japan that treated jewelry as a conceptual medium, resonating with contemporary art. These works, known as contemporary jewelry, subverted traditional roles of jewelry as a symbol of wealth and redefined the relationship between wearer and viewer. In 1993, collaborative exhibitions began among Tokyo, Munich, and Amsterdam, led by artists such as Kazuhiro Ito (1948–1997) and Otto Künzli (b. 1948), fostering ongoing dialogue with conceptual artists abroad. Today, Japanese artists hold significant presence in the field of jewelry as artistic expression, using conceptual jewelry as a methodology to re-examine their own identities.

This exhibition features approximately 350 works, including a large-scale public display of pieces from the Hiko Mizuno Jewelry College collection, rare works returning from Germany after nearly 50 years, and contemporary creations. It reconsiders the potential of jewelry as a medium where expression infiltrates the act of wearing, focusing on postwar Japan.

Main Participating Artists

Sigurd Persson, Mario Pinton, Reinhold Reiling, Bruno Martinazzi, Yasuki Hiramatsumoto, Hermann Junger, Reiko Yamada, Peter Skubic, Wendy Ramshaw, David Watkins, Hees Bakker, Aya Nakayama, Bernhard Schobinger, Keiriko Nagai, Kazuhiro Ito, Otto Künzli, Therese Hilbert, Caroline Broadhead, Daniel Kruger, Warwick Freeman, Etsuko Sonobe, Ted Noten, Karl Fritsch, Mari Ishikawa, Miki Minezawa, Felieke van der Leest, Yuka Oyama, Fumiki Taguchi, Jiro Kamata, Kaori Juzu, Akiko Shinsato, and over 70 others

Highlight Works

Otto Künzli, Brooch 'Swiss Gold'

A golden ingot brooch gleaming on a dandy man’s chest is crafted from the cardboard box of 'authentic' Swiss chocolate. This work ironically symbolizes the desire to possess high-quality, beautifully designed gold jewelry—both as a cultural asset and a financial one—when one wishes to display refined taste.

Otto Künzli, Pendant 'Sunrise – Sunset'

Created for Künzli’s first visit to Japan in 1993 and presented at the 'Three Professors Exhibition / We 3 Jewelry Triangle' with Kazuhiro Ito and Jörg Bräutigam. The simple composition of a white sphere and red circle evokes an iconic American character, while simultaneously referencing the imagery of Japan’s national flag.

Ted Noten, 'Chisaka's Bag'

Created after the collector’s wife passed away, this piece encases her favorite ring in acrylic resin. Shaped like a bag, it emphasizes the role of jewelry as something to be held rather than to store items, with the handle repurposed from the deceased’s favorite handbag. It powerfully reminds us that jewelry is inseparable from the memories and emotions of its owner.

Mari Ishikawa, Ring 'Love makes blind'

A ring titled 'Love makes blind,' whose shape appears as a heart or an eternity symbol (∞) depending on the angle. On its surface, 'I Love You' is written in Braille in five languages. At the time, the artist was studying conceptual jewelry under Otto Künzli at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich—a context of daily exposure to diverse communication methods and cultural backgrounds. This work uses familiar jewelry motifs to suggest relationships that require effort to understand.

Fumiki Taguchi, Brooch and Pendant 'The memory to relive'

Using a technique that elevates traditional Japanese engraving, the silver appears as if studded with diamonds. Taguchi was selected as a finalist for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize in 2025 for this series. The central cross shape evokes Gothic heraldry and symbolism.

Akiko Shinsato, Head/Nose Piece 'Another Skin'

While studying at Central Saint Martins in London, Shinsato began creating facial-altering jewelry based on research into the correlation between appearance and self-confidence. The desire to become someone else can be a powerful motivator. At the same time, it may also represent confronting one’s current self and moving forward.

Exhibition Overview

Exhibition Title: 'Who Does Jewelry Dream Of?'

Dates: October 24, 2026 (Sat) – January 17, 2027 (Sun)

Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (3-107 Okazaki Enshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8344)

Opening Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., open until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays

*Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Closed: Mondays (except November 23 and January 11, both national holidays—open on these days, closed the following Tuesdays), year-end and New Year (December 29, 2026 – January 3, 2027)

Organizer: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

Special Support: Hiko Mizuno Jewelry College, Japan Jewelry Designers Association, National Crafts Museum

Cooperation: JEWELRY JOURNAL

Website: https://www.momak.go.jp/

Touring: Shimane Art Museum (March 20 – June 21, 2027), Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art (July 3 – August 29, 2027)