Art exhibition in Kyoto
Who Does Jewelry Dream Of? at The National Museum of Modern Art
Open until 8:00 PM on Fridays. Advance-ticket and evening discounts are available, plus a ¥100 discount on same-day tickets for visitors wearing jewelry.
- Dates
- Oct 24 (Sat) – Jan 17 (Sun)
- Hours
- 10:00 – 18:00
- Venue
- The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
- Nearest station
- Higashiyama
- Admission
- Adults ¥2,000; university students ¥1,300; high school students ¥600; junior high school students and younger free
About this event
What makes jewellery valuable beyond its price? Bringing together around 350 works, this exhibition explores jewellery as a personal and artistic expression. It traces the development of contemporary jewellery in Japan from the establishment of the Japan Jewellery Designers Association in 1964. A major selection from Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry is joined by significant works returning from Germany after approximately 50 years. Artists including Yasuki Hiramatsu and Otto Künzli reveal how objects worn on the body became a form of contemporary art. The exhibition invites visitors to reconsider the meaning of jewellery beyond precious materials.
Highlights
- Explore around 350 works tracing postwar Japanese jewellery.
- See a major presentation of the Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry collection.
- Discover important works returning from Germany after roughly 50 years.
- Encounter jewellery by Yasuki Hiramatsu, Yasuhiko Hishida and Otto Künzli.
- Good for
- For visitors interested in jewellery, fashion, contemporary art, craft and design.
Good to know before you go
- Advance reservations for a specific time slot are not required.
- Wear your own jewellery and purchase a ticket at the counter to receive a ¥100 discount. Discounts cannot be combined.
- A separate Kyoto Museums Four discount is available, but discounts cannot be combined.
- Bring student ID or proof of age if claiming reduced or free admission.
Pochikichi's story cornerCan jewellery become art without gold or gemstones?
Jewellery has traditionally represented wealth and status. But its meaning changes when an object worn on the body is treated as a work of art. Must it use precious materials? Is beauty its only purpose? This exhibition explores these questions through the development of postwar jewellery in Japan.
The Japan Jewellery Designers Association was founded in 1964, with figures including Yasuki Hiramatsu and Yasuhiko Hishida playing important roles. From 1970 to 1986, the International Jewellery Art Exhibition at Seibu Department Store in Shibuya introduced developments from Europe and North America, encouraging a focus on design rather than material value alone.
From the late 1970s, conceptual approaches that explored the relationship between jewellery, its wearer and its viewer gained attention. Contemporary jewellery began to challenge the boundary between decoration and fine art. An exchange exhibition linking schools in Tokyo, Munich and Amsterdam began in 1993, helping develop international connections.
The exhibition brings together Japanese and international artists who have expanded the expressive possibilities of wearable objects. Their works invite viewers to consider identity, relationships and artistic ideas, rather than simply precious metals and stones. That is why the differences in expression beyond material value are worth examining.
Sources: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto — Official exhibition commentary (Japanese)
FAQ
- What is Who Does Jewelry Dream Of? at The National Museum of Modern Art?
- What makes jewellery valuable beyond its price? Bringing together around 350 works, this exhibition explores jewellery as a personal and artistic expression. It traces the development of contemporary jewellery in Japan from the establishment of the Japan Jewellery Designers Association in 1964. A major selection from Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry is joined by significant works returning from Germany after approximately 50 years. Artists including Yasuki Hiramatsu and Otto Künzli reveal how objects worn on the body became a form of contemporary art. The exhibition invites visitors to reconsider the meaning of jewellery beyond precious materials.
- When is Who Does Jewelry Dream Of? at The National Museum of Modern Art?
- From Oct 24 (Sat) to Jan 17 (Sun), 2027.
- What are the opening hours?
- 10:00 – 18:00
- How much does it cost?
- Adults ¥2,000; university students ¥1,300; high school students ¥600; junior high school students and younger free
- Where is it and what is the nearest station?
- The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto. The nearest station is Higashiyama.
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