Kogei as Contemporary Craft:
Transcending Boundaries

The Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa is an international competition meant to convey to the world what is new in kogei (“craft”). This competition serves to pursue artistic works that demonstrate a rich sense of expressivity, using the techniques and skill cultivated within the world of kogei to bring excellent concepts and ideas to life. Our theme for this competition is “Kogei as Contemporary Craft: Transcending Boundaries” — rather than unequivocal competition based on minutely detailed technical skill, we look forward to seeing works that take a broader perspective, incorporating a keen and nuanced understanding of contemporary kogei. The materials and techniques to be used include ceramics, metal, dyeing and weaving, lacquer, dolls, wood, bamboo, glass, leather, cloisonné, paper, and more. We look forward to seeing the items you submit, providing a taste of a new era.

Items that pass the first judging round, as well as the items receiving rewards, will be placed on exhibit in the People’s Gallery of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa from Sunday, November 10 to Thursday, November 21, 2019, for the 4th Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa.

Exhibition: 2019 Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa
Dates: Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, November 10
to Thursday, November 21, 2019
Venue: People's Gallery A at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

• People of every nationality and age are welcome to submit works.
• Items submitted must have been produced within the past three years by individuals or groups, and must not have been previously exhibited in museums or won awards.

• Maximum one item per individual (or group).

1. Items that employ a modern point of view, using characteristic techniques and materials cultivated by kogei, and overflowing with individuality and expressiveness.

2. Items made with ceramics, metal, dyeing and weaving, lacquer, dolls, wood, bamboo, glass, leather, cloissoné, paper, and more, or some combination thereof.

3. Item shape and size Item shape: Three-dimensional or flat items. Item size: Combined height, width, and depth of no more than 350 cm, with a weight of no more than 50 kg.
   • For flat items, frame size and weight are included within these restrictions.
   • Please do not put glass or acrylic into the frame.

1. Application Deadline
   Items must arrive by 11:59 p.m. Japan time on Monday, April 15th, 2019Thursday, April 25th, 2019.

2. First Judging Round
   Early May, 2019
   Photos of the items and materials submitted by the applicants will undergo an initial judging round, and items that continue to the final judgment will be selected. Results will be reported only to entrants whose items are selected during the first judging round.

3. Final Judgment
   Sunday, July 21, 2019
   Applicants who have submitted items that pass the first judging round will be requested to bring or send the items themselves to a designated location within a designated period. These items will then undergo final judgment, and the award winners will be selected.

Monika Bincsik
Assistant Curator/Specialist in Japanese Decorative Arts and Textile,
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hyeyoung Cho
Secretary General, Korea Craft and Design Foundation; Former Art Director

TODATE Kazuko
Craft Critic; Professor, Tama Art University

OHI Toyasai
Ceramic artist; Recipient of the Order of Culture;
Member of the Japan Art Academy

NAKAGAWA Mamoru Metal craft artist; Holder of important intangible cultural property

Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

(Judges may vary.)

Grand Prize ………………………… 1,000,000 JPY (1 winner)　

Merit Award …………………………… 500,000 JPY (1 winner)

Encouragement Award: ……… 200,000 JPY (1 winners)

Special Recognition Award ……… 100,000 JPY (6 winners)

• Grand Prize, Merit Award, Encouragement Award, and Special Recognition Award winners are requested to attend the award ceremony.
• Grand Prize and Merit Award winners (or a representative of any group winning either) are requested to attend the award ceremony and to appear at the podium during the talk event. In order to ensure that Grand Prize and Merit Award winners may attend the award ceremony and appear at the podium during the talk event, partial payment of lodging and/or travel expenses will be provided.

Award Ceremony and Talk Event: Sunday, November 10

Special Exhibition: Kogei as Contemporary Art: Transcending Boundaries(tentative)

Dates: Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday,
November 10 to Thursday, November 21, 2019

Venue: People’s Gallery B at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Price:Free admission

1. Application Deadline
Items must arrive by 11:59 p.m. Japan time on Monday, April 15th, 2019Thursday, April 25th, 2019..

2. Application Procedure and Details
Please read the below before applying:

• Please fill out the necessary information using either the web application form or the paper application form. Your profile, information and commentary on the item to be submitted, etc. are required.
• Please send one profile photo (portrait from chest or shoulders up).
• Please send six photos of the item to be submitted (one photo showing the entire item for catalog publication, one photo taken from the front, one photo taken from the rear, one photo taken from each of the left and right, and one close-up photo). In addition, for wearable items, please include a photo showing the item being worn.
• If available, please also include one photo each of up to three representative works produced in recent years (other than the item being submitted), as reference pictures.
  
• Photos of the item will be used by the judges, as well as for the exhibition catalog.

[Applying through the Web]

• Applications are accepted through our web form.
  
  Application Form
  We are no longer accepting applications.
  Thank you to all of our many applicants.

[Applying through the Mail]

• We can send you an application form and the application guidelines; please contact the secretariat.
• You can download application form(pdf and excel).
  Application form(PDF) Application form(Excel)
  We are no longer accepting applications.
  Thank you to all of our many applicants.
• When applying through the mail, please be sure to include your application form and a CD-R containing your profile photo, the photos of the item to be submitted, and the photo(s) of your other recent work(s). Send it to the address below, with enough time to ensure that it will arrive by Monday, April 15th, 2019Thursday, April 25th, 2019..

　　［Send Applications to:］
　　Secretariat of the Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa
　　4-48 Minato, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture JAPAN 920-0211

3. Exhibition Fee

• There is an exhibition fee of 5,000 JPY per item submitted by applicants who are residents of Japan. This fee is waived for applicants who live outside of Japan.
• When applying, pay your exhibition fee to the bank account below via bank transfer, making sure that it is received by Monday, April 15th, 2019Thursday, April 25th, 2019..
  (Bank transfer fees are to be paid by the applicant.
  Exhibition fee money that has been sent via bank transfer cannot be refunded under any circumstances.)

［Exhibition Fee Payment Bank Account　］　
Bank: 北國銀行 (Hokkoku Bank)
Branch: 金沢市役所 (Kanazawa Shiyakusho Branch)
Account No.: 普通 (Ordinary Account) 9581
Account Name: カナザワセカイコウゲイコンペティションウケツケガカリ
(Kanazawa Sekai Kougei Konpetishon Uketsuke Gakari)

1. Judgment Based on Photos Submitted 　
   In early May, 2019, the judges will perform a first judging round based 　 on the photos of the items and the materials submitted by the applicants.

2. Announcement of Results and Consent to Exhibition

   • The results of the first judging round will be posted on our web site.
   • Items that pass the first judging round will continue on to the final judgment and the exhibition.
   • Items that pass the first judging round will continue on to the final judgment
   • The applicants who have submitted items that pass the first judging round will be informed of the results and provided with the exhibition information and an exhibition consent form. Those who consent to exhibition of their items are requested to return their exhibition consent form to the secretariat during the period noted in the exhibition information.

1. Judgment Based on the Items Themselves
(items that pass the first judging round only)
On Sunday, July 21, 2019, the judges will perform a final judgment based on the items themselves, viewed in person.

2. Shipment of Items (items that pass the first judging round only)
Period for Shipment/Transport of Items
For applicants from overseas:
Item Shipment Period:
Overseas: Monday, July 1 to Friday, July 5, 2019 (planned)
Destination:
Shipped poste restante to designated airports
(Kansai International Airport or Chubu Centrair International Airport (planned)

For applicants within Japan:
Item Shipment Period:
Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16, 2019 (planned)
Destination:
Performing Square, Kanazawa Citizen’s Art Center, 1-1 Daiwa-machi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture 920-0046
If bringing the item in person: come between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 15 or Tuesday, July 16, 2019 (planned).

Regarding Shipment/Transport of Items

• Applicants who have sent in their exhibition consent form are then requested to ship or bring their items to the designated location during the designated period.
  　The period and location will be noted in the exhibition information.
• Any costs required to ship or otherwise transport items are to be covered by the applicants.
• It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure to ship the item in a box or case that can safely withstand shipping.
• Even in the event that applicants bring their item in person, applicants are still requested to store the item in a box or case that can safely withstand transportation.
• Items that are brought in person without protective packaging will not be accepted.
• The Executive Committee assumes no responsibility for damage incurred during shipment. If considered necessary, we request that the sender purchase insurance when shipping the item.
• Unpacking and inspection of items will be carried out on the day that they arrive. If any damage, etc. is noticed while unpacking, the Executive Committee will contact the sender, and any restoration, insurance claims, or other measures taken after the fact will be handled by the sender.
• The Executive Committee assumes zero responsibility in the event that an item is rendered unfit for final judgment or exhibition due to damage incurred during shipment.
• In the event that an item other than the one that had passed the first judging round is shipped, the applicant will be disqualified, and will be ineligible for final judgment or exhibition.
• For final judgment and the exhibition, submitted items will be set up based on the photos provided. In the event that particular caution is required for assembly or setup, please include sketches or instructions along with the exhibition consent form and the item.
• Items submitted will be handled under strict supervision of specialists designated by the Executive Committee. However, in the event of complex assembly or setup instructions, the Executive Committee assumes no responsibility if this proves detrimental to final judgment or exhibition.

Regarding Shipment of Items (For applicants from overseas only)
All of the following apply to applicants submitting items from overseas:

• All items submitted are to undergo customs clearance under the assumption that they will be returned after the exhibition.
• For items with a CIF value of 10,000 JPY or more, please do not ship using the postal service or an international parcel-shipping company, as the item may be unable to clear customs when import duty taxes are taken into consideration. Even if the item provisionally clears customs, import duty taxes may be assessed when exporting the item from Japan. In these cases, import duty taxes will be considered the responsibility of the applicant submitting the item. "CIF Value" refers to the total value of the item being shipped, including shipping and insurance fees.
• In the event of a customs clearance fee or shipping fees within Japan, these will be considered the responsibility of the Executive Committee.
• In the event that necessary information for customs clearance is not included, or a value differing from that written on the exhibition application form is written on the invoice, there is a possibility that the item will not clear customs. Make sure that the same value is written on both the exhibition application form and the invoice.
• The Executive Committee assumes zero responsibility in the event that an item cannot clear customs due to a problem or error in preparing the invoice, in which case the item may not arrive for final judgment and/or exhibition.
• In the event that an applicant submitting items from overseas or a person designated by that applicant bring an item to Japan, and import duty taxes, a customs clearance fee, or domestic shipping expenses within Japan are incurred, these will all be considered the responsibility of the applicant, and none of these will be paid for by the Executive Committee.
• Even in the event that shipping preparations are made by a proxy, the Executive Committee will directly contact the applicant submitting the item.
• Do not use wood that is not heat-treated (e.g. wooden crates) for packaging items to be shipped. In the event that you do use wood, it must be either heat-treated or fumigation-certified. This is because, even in the event that an item packed in a manner that does not meet these requirements is successfully shipped to the Executive Committee, if the same wooden packaging is used to ship it back to the applicant, fumigation treatment will be necessary, and the Executive Committee is unable to spend the effort or money to do so. (Note: these restrictions do not apply to plywood.)
• Please note that, due to the Washington Convention, items made using certain plants and/or animals may not clear customs within the designated period.

3. Announcement of Results and Notifications

• The results of the final judgment will be posted on our web site.
• Award winners will be notified in writing. Notification letters will be sent out approximately two weeks after judgment is finished.

4. Critique Event
The day after the final judgment, a critique event will be held by the judges. The time, venue, and other details will be posted on our web site once they are finalized.

1. Exhibition
All items submitted for final judgment will be exhibited in the 4th Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa.