Yūgen: the subtle charm of Japan

The exhibition is the result of close collaboration between the Crema and Cremasco Civic Museum and the Museum of Oriental Art – The Mazzocchi Collection, Coccaglio, with the support of the’Mnemosyne Cultural Association of Dello and under the patronage of the Italy-Japan Foundation. The exhibition itinerary draws its inspiration from the aesthetics of the yūgen, the subtle charm and hidden beauty theorised by Motokyio Zeami at Nō theatre, understood as that imperceptible deviation capable of evoking deep emotion. This extraordinary artistic selection explores the impact and the alienating charm that the’Japanese art had an influence on the sensibilities of the artists of the Central Europe and on the Viennese Secession.

Visitors can admire a rich collection of works of art and traditional artefacts: from the simplest forms of everyday utensils right through to the sophisticated ones ukiyo-e prints and the famous Hokusai’s manga. The exhibition features some precious kimono stencil, elegant lacquers, home furnishings, toys e polychrome woodcuts, supported by historical treatises, volumes e loose engravings from prestigious private collections. On display within the Art Gallery at Sant’Agostino Cultural Centre a Cream, the festival devotes a special section to the perception of the European culture towards the charm of the’East, celebrating the beauty of transience, the value of detail and perpetual change.