The Dolls of Japan
19 November 2013 - 15 December 2013
Master Bedroom, Boardroom, Little Gallery
Haihai crawling
Exhibition opening: Monday 18 November, 6-8pm.
The Dolls of Japan was curated by The Japan Foundation and has toured in over 30 countries in six continents since 2007. The New Zealand leg of the tour including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch has been facilitated by the Consulate of Japan in Auckland. It showcases the exquisite traditional craftsmanship and unique cultural heritage of Japan. Dolls are grouped according to particular events in the Japanese calendar, their method of manufacture, their design and regional characteristics.
Included The Dolls of Japan are Japan’s representative dolls, including Hina ningyo (Girls’ Festival dolls) and Gogatsu ningyo (Boys’ Day dolls), which have their origins in ancient customs. Also included are dolls connected to traditional performing arts such as noh (bunraku) and kabuki, regional dolls from throughout Japan and “creative dolls” produced by contemporary craftspeople.