Living Kogei : Hong Kong University Press : 9789881902580 : 28 Oct 2019 : The modern Japanese term for artisan crafts, kogei (pronounced ?ko-gay') refers to a form of highly skilled artistic expression associated with specific regions and craftsmen in Japan. Kogei works typically include ceramics, textiles, lacquer, metal, glass and wood, and have at their core a concern for fine craftsmanship and the inherent qualities of the materials. Informed by centuries of tradition, these crafts have been revitalised and expanded in recent years, with emerging avant-garde tendencies in fields such as bamboo sculpture and studio glass competing with established practices and values that are deeply embedded in Japanese culture. Drawn from the diverse collections of the Ise Foundation, Living Kogei highlights over sixty works by prominent and emerging contemporary Japanese artists?including Living National Treasures whose skills have been recognised by the Japanese government. Ranging from rustic c