The Mingei International Museum collects, preserves and exhibits arts of daily life from all cultures of the world. These are objects made by hand for use rather than intentionally as art like paintings and sculpture.

A great philospher of Japan, Soetsu Yanagi, early in the 20th century used the word “mingei”, which means literally “everyone’s art”, to point out the timeless beauty of such objects in cultures of both East and West. He emphasized the importance, for the health of post-industrial societies, of people’s being surrounded still by useful objects in their daily lives that are creative expressions of the whole person-head, heart and hands.

Dr. Yanagi encouraged people to look with fresh eyes at common objects in their surroundings, to discover beauty where it is unexpected and to be inspired to uncover and express their own, innate creativity.

This museum has formed a collection of mingei that now comprises 17,000 objects from 141 countries.

Martha Longenecker founded the museum in 1978. She first visited Japan in 1962 and during a 4 month period and being a potter herself, worked and met with Hamada Shoji, Tatsuzo Shimaoka, Soetsu Yanagi and Kanjiro Kawai and also the English potter Bernard Leach.

Pottery artwork by Tatsuzo Shimaoka.

Shiko Munakata watercolor painting on handmade paper.

Wooden bench designed by George Nakashima.

Combs from Africa, Japan and USA.

There was a special exhibition of Hungarian Folk Magic: The Art of Joseph Domjan. He is a master of woodblock printmaking. He used oil paint for his woodcuts and created a captivating world filled with fantastic and colorful creatures.

Joseph Domjan.

Blackbeard print.

Domjan’s art also found expression in the media of tapestry. Such a beautiful colors. Please, click on the image to increase the size.