Eight years into the new millennium and the question arises: where are we headed, now that we live in the century once hailed as the future? This question is the springboard and theme for our third exhibition, starting on the first anniversary of 21_21 Design Sight's opening in 2007. The exhibition title refers of course to the 21st century, and by "Man", to those of us living here, now. The title also expresses a desire to place our hope in the future. The focus of this show is on the 21st century and its people as a means by which to explore ideas for building a better future for this century and beyond. Exhibition director Issey Miyake has done extensive research to prepare for the show, which includes a wide spectrum of Japanese and international creators, all of whom address today's many doubts and insecurities through their own individual form of creative expression. Please see the website for more information and related events.

Chairs we sit on every day at work and at home. Chairs are wrappings for the human body, a functional tool, and perhaps the piece of furniture with the most "human" components to it. Since the booming period of high economic growth in the 1960s, living habits in Japan have gradually come to embrace and accept Western styles of living, including the widespread use of chairs. With the influence of Western and European culture, the act of sitting has come to move away from the tatami mat and towards the use of chairs. This period saw the use and development of processed, industrial materials come to replace natural ones, leading to a rise in the production of chairs that could be made cheaply and easily. Chairs thereafter became a sort of consumer product that was produced in large quantities. Certain Japanese designers and artisans who produced those chairs took into consideration particular Japanese lifestyle habits, climate, environment, and the special tactile and textural qualities of wood as a material. This open-call exhibition held once every two years showcases the natural warmth, functionality, design qualities and ideal "seating" qualities. The 6th edition of the exhibition saw over 624 submissions, out of which about 100 winning and selected entries will be put on display.

- "Recently Donated Modern Nihon-ga from the Okuma Collection" Including 10 masterpieces by Taikan Yokoyama, a total of 47 works from the Okuma Collection are on display. The exhibition is divided into three parts [April 22nd (Tue) through May 18th (Sun), May 20th (Tue) through June 15th (Sun), June 17th (Tue) through July 13th (Sun)] - Modern Painting and Sculpture" Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Maurice Denis, Georges Rouault, Moise Kisling, Ryusei Kishida, Harue Koga, etc. - "A Chair with Casted Roses - Shiro Kuramata 'Miss Blanche'" Recently fabricated Kuramata's chair "Miss Branch" is on display. [Image: Shiro Kuramata "Miss Blanche" Designed in 1988/ Produced in 2007]

William Morris (1834-1896) was the most prominent artist and thinker of the 19th-century England, and still has a great influence today. In this exhibition, approximately 90 works, including stained glass model, which became the basis of his career as a decoration artist, original wall paper, textiles, furniture and small rooms with interior accessories of his time, will be on display. -Special Talk by Harumi Tsuda This exhibition's editorial supervisor Tsuda Harumi will consider with her audience the artist's thoughts and dreams by tracking back his artistry and social climate of his time.

Born in 1953 in Isezaki City (previously known as Sakai Town), Gunma Prefecture, pioneering wood furniture designer Fumitaka Tomita studied abroad at Carl Malmsten Centre for Wood Technology and Design, founded by representative Swedish furniture designer Carl Malmsten. In 1982, Tomita came back to Japan and established his own studio, producing there various creative furniture such as chairs, tables and cabinets. Generated from his abundant mental picture, Tomita's work brings out the beauty of wood, while it also carries representational power reflecting his brilliant artistry. -Artist Talk Date & Time: June 28th (Sat) 14:00-15:00 *Reservation not required. Please purchase an exhibition ticket and visit Exhibition Room 5. -Symposium "Vision for Wood Furniture" Date & Time: July 12th (Sat) 14:00-16:00 Location: Museum of Modern Art, Gunma 2F Auditorium Fee: Free Panelists: Fumitaka Tomita, Michael Hurwitz (furniture designer), Kenji Suda (wood craftsman), Masanori Moroyama (the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo senior researcher) *Please make a reservation via phone or fax. (limited seating of 200) Contact: Museum of Modern Art, Gunma Tel 027-346-5560, Fax 027-346-4064 [Image: "Chair -Exaltation V" (2007) Japanese zelkova, wipe-lacquering]

Fumio Asakura is known as the father of Japanese Modern Sculpture. Originally built as Asakura's home atelier, Asakura Choso Museum has a permanent exhibit of his major works. Closed from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3.