Batik is a resist printing technique using wax, performed repeatedly to create exquisite and intricate designs, and has become familiar under the name of "Indonesian Sarasa" in Japan. Indonesia has long been an amalgam of more than 300 folk and ethnic groups each with their own unique cultures, languages, societies and ways of life, which became an even more diverse and rich society thanks to traffic with borrowed foreign cultures. Against this background of cultural diversity in the plurality of regions in Indonesia, unique batik styles intricately tied to the lives of each area have come about. This exhibition gives a broad introduction to the history and appeal of batik, showcasing around 400 pieces from the wide collection of Masakatsu Totsu, a professor of Asian region studies at Kokushikan University. Welcoming 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries that began with the first royal emissaries and contemporary artists and researchers, batik reveals a rich vein of artistic endeavor through this medium that has been transmitted from generation to generation, and one that has been inherited by a new contemporary generation of Indonesian artists.

Exhibition and sale of works by 40 artists from the Tohoku University of Art and Design.

Celebrating the grand opening of online gallery and select shop, Salone Aoyama, limited one-week real shop event will be held at Gallery Dojunkai.

Works by emerging artists are on display. vol.145 April 28th (Mon) - May 11th (Sun) Chisato Fujita (Ceramic) vol.146 March 13th (Tue) - March 25th (Sun) Iracu (Bag, small works) vol.147 March 26th (Mon) - June 8th (Sun) Tomomi Kawakami (Glass) vol.148 June 9th (Mon) - June 22nd (Sun) Salon de Pink (Bag) vol.149 June 23rd (Mon) - July 6th (Sun) Miki Inoue (Glass) vol.150 July 7th (Mon) - July 21st (Sun) Kazumi Yoshimura (Ceramic)

Painting, metalwork, glass... Work in various media by four artists in an exhibition where the X's are for you to fill in yourself!

July 13th (Sun)-July 17th (Thu) [W:1-A] Teketekebia "Kijinhenjin Daikyouun" Illustration July 15th (Tue)-July 18th (Fri)[E:201 202] Magnet "2008 A/W" Fashion July 16th (Wed)-July 18th (Fri) [W:2-C] Deekei & Wacwac "Perorinpoi" 2 Artists: Painting and 3D object July 17th (Thu)-July 19th (Sat) [W:2-A] International Culture School Fashion Course "Nothing" Makeup July 18th (Fri)-July 20th (Sun) [W:1-A] Tomomi Miyahara "Anoko wo Umeta Atode.." Illustration July 18th (Fri)-July 20th (Sun) [E:102] Piroko Univers Fashion July 19th (Sat)-July 20th (Sun) [W:1-C] Will Send Later Painting, Multimedia and Installation July 19th (Sat)-July 20th (Sun) [E:301] Gas "Summer Exhibition 2008 -Mix Colors" Group: Illustration and Graphic Design July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-B] Yuko "Kawaii" Illustration July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-F] Love Chookje Group: Photography, Film Screening, DJ and Sweets July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:1-G] Kodachi Miroku Illustration, Photography and Graphic Design July 19th (Sat)-July 21st (Mon) [W:2-B] Analog Complex "Bamboo Princess" Group: Space Art [Image: Gas "Summer Exhibition 2008 -Mix Colors"]

Command N celebrates 10 years since its founding this year. Taking inspiration from the activities it has organized so far, this "Secret Auction @ Kandada" event aims to create a prime space and opportunity for audiences to encounter directly the art they love. The auction allows viewers to take in the work on display while taking into consideration the prices that the artists themselves have suggested for each work. Viewers then bid for the works according to their own desired prices, which are not revealed. Only the winning bid will be announced at a later date. Visitors can take their time to enjoy the work on display over 18 days from June 20th to July 19th, getting acquainted with the works and their suggested prices, trying their hand at coming to understand what it means to attach a price to an artwork and thinking about what value a piece of art possesses, monetary or otherwise. This practice, where bonds between artist and artwork, artwork and viewer are constructed, while normally known as a silent auction, is called a "secret auction" at Kandada. In conjunction with the auction, artists who have been involved with Command N projects, as well as next-generation young artists, will exhibit works in a wide variety of media - painting, sculpture, video, fashion, etc. Opening party and artist talk: June 20th (Fri), doors open 18:30, talk starts 19:30 Live performance by Oragan-o-rounge Great opportunity for visitors to meet exhibiting artists directly. Let's shrink the distance between ourselves and the art! Free entry (one drink order) Release of auction prices + closing party: July 26th (Sat) 18:00- 18:00 Release of auction prices 19:30 Closing party There will also be talks with exhibiting artists. Free entry (drink order requested)

T-shirts produced in collaboration with contemporary artists. A temporary T-shirt shop, Shirtsgenic, will be set up for a limited period in the gallery. This is the 4th edition of the exhibition, with no particular theme in place except the individual creativity of the exhibiting artists.

The work of costume artist Kozue Hibino is featured at this solo exhibition at Gallery Mitate. This year's theme is "Summer in Japan," and showcases yukata fabrics, obi sashes, parasols and other summer accessories, as well as new works like collage bags and skirts made out of the same materials.

Uto is a story that takes place in early summer at Tateyama in Etchu province and Sotonohama in Mutsu province. A traveling priest, humbly dressed in mizugoromo with a sumiboshi cap, arrives at Tateyama in Etchu province. He meets a wistful old man wearing a mask (called Asakurajo). The old man says that he is the ghost of a hunter who died the previous year. He begs the priest to tell his wife and children, who live in Sotonohama in Mutsu province, to pray for his soul, and offers one sleeve of his garment to show them as a proof of the story's credibility. The priest visits Sotonohama, where he finds the hunter's wife, a middle-aged woman wearing a karaori without trousers, and boy wearing a kosode with long hanging sleeves. The surprised wife and child see the sleeve brought by the priest, fetch the hunter's garment from their house and discover one sleeve is missing from it. When they put the garment and the sleeve together, they fit perfectly. In front of the grieving wife and son the ghost of the hunter appears, not in the form of the old man the priest met, but as a dreary figure suffering in the hell of Tateyama for having made his living by killing birds. The features of the Noh mask Yase-Otoko are etched with the agony of the hunter's ghost. The hunter finds his son and tries to get close to him, but he cannot due to his sin of once killing a baby bird. The anguished ghost begs the priest to pray for his soul. Although the author is unknown, this Noh drama is said to have been created by combining the Legend of Hell of Tateyama, known to be included in The Anthology of Tales from the Past, and the Legend of Uto (a kind of bird) from a Reference Book of utamakura (places famed for poetry). In the Medieval age, hunters and fishermen were socially discriminated against as people who dealt with animal killing. This drama, while dealing with the suffering of people bound by such an idea, depicts the love between a parent and child, a love common to all humans both past and present.

We are pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition of antique menus from the collection of Hiroomi Tatematsu collection and the "Banquet" exhibition by graf media gm and several contemporary artists. In this exhibition, we introduce antique menus from the collection of Mr. Hiroomi Tatematsu, a Paris based collector. graf media gm is a creative group who is involved with art, food, design, and variety of different fields. Mr. Tatematsu collects menus of banquets that are historically and diplomatically important, as well as being beautifully made. We chose approximately 40 menus from his collection for the exhibition. In addition, graf media gm will produce a banquet room in the gallery with 7 artists from different genres: Umitaro Abe (music), Andreas & Frederika (visual communication), Kasetsu (Japanese calligraphy, seal engraving), Theatre Products (fashion), Yoriko Hoshi (manga), nanpushokudo (cooking unit) and Mie Morimoto (photography). [Image: 1900 Cafe Riche (venerable high-end restaurant), a la carte menu, from the collection of Hiroomi Tatematsu]

Galerie Doux Dimanche's familiar creator from Paris, Anne Hubert has brought her new work that pleasantly showcases this summer. Hubert has been active as textile designer for "La Cerise Sur le Gateau". While fabrics with her feminine, charming designs have gained much popularity, she also proposes in her book "Customiser" the enjoyment in hand-making and customizing simple T-shirts, linen items, etc. Her new collection includes not only feminine but also cool and modern motifs. Taking its theme on "white summer", this exhibition introduces everyday-use items with her sophisticated designs.

This exhibition, the second of a two-part thematic series, features garments and daily utensils of educated men in the Joseon Dynasty. The ideal way of living for yangban (members of the nobility class), from which most of high-ranking government officials came, was the humble but elegant life of sonbi - literati/scholars who highly valued Confucian philosophy, including the five virtues; benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity, as well as harmony with others. Their sophisticated aesthetic sense is reflected in their mostly white garments and the plain furnishings of their living quarters (known as sarangbang). On the other hand, their official garments, battle attire and ceremonial dresses show combinations of vivid colors. These color schemes are strictly defined according to the ideas of Ying and Yang and the Five Elements, and their color contrasts create a unique tension. The display also features garments for children, worn on the occasion of their first birthday (tol).

This year marks the holding of the Olympics in Beijing and an occasion for relooking Chinese culture from different angles. The Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum has devoted much effort to building up a strong collection of Chinese apparel since its founding, and the strength of this collection is well-showcased in this exhibition, which features everything from the late Qing dynasty imperial garb to post-revolution and postwar modern garments. In addition, this exhibition puts on display the traditional folk costumes of China's neighboring territories and countries in a bid to discover links and connections to these other East Asian garment cultures. Gallery Talk: July 12th (Sat)　13:30, September 6th (Sat) 13:30 (30 people, first come first served)

July 27th (Sun)-July 29th (Tue) [W:1-B] Shabu "Oretachiwa Kokoniiru" Group: Painting and Photography July 27th (Sun)-August 2nd (Sat) [W:2-B] Gosado "010" Group: Graphic Design and Photography July 28th (Mon)-July 30th (Wed) [E:101 102] Person's Golf 2009 SS Exhibition Fashion July 29th (Tue)-July 31st (Thu) [W:1-G] Kamatagumi "ARC" 2 Artists: Painting, Illustration and Graphic Design July 30th (Wed)-August 1st (Fri) [E:304] Yuginro Painting and Performance July 31st (Thu)-August 6th (Wed) [W:2-C] Ned Girls Group: 3D, Graphic Design, Photography, Film Screening and Multimedia August 1st (Fri)-August 3rd (Sun) [E:101] London Art Market Art market [Image: London Art Market]