Recent Exhibitions: May

Andy Crouch ‘Norfolk Suite’ Colour Photographs.

18th April - 1st May 17th April PV 6 - 8pm Gallery Open 10am - 5pm Closed Sundays. The Crypt Gallery, Norwich School.

Recent Exhibitions: April

We Are Nature

From 8-10 April a new art exhibition will be shown at the Crypt Gallery from We Are Nature.

Wednesday 8 April, 11:00 - 16:00

Thursday 9 April 11:00 - 16:00

Friday 10 April 14:00 - 16:00

This project, run by Share Your Story Through Art Community Interest Company, took place over 12 months from September 2024 to August 2025. Working with Norfolk elders and teenage refugees and their families in collaboration with AgeUK Norwich, Millenium Library Drop-in-and-Draw, and Norfolk Council REDI (Relocation, Ethnic Diversity & Integration) Community and Partnerships team. Participants have created a collection of mixed media art to celebrate each season and raise awareness of nature, local biodiversity and environmental issues.

The project was made possible with funding from The National Lottery Awards for All Community Fund, The Clan Trust and Norfolk Arts Project Fund, with support-in-kind from Norwich School & Norfolk Libraries.

Okinawan Kōgei: Crafting Continuity and Change

Centre for Japanese Studies

Wednesday 29 October, 2025 - Saturday 1 November, 2025

Exhibition at the Crypt Gallery, Norwich — Free admission.
29 October: 10:00–16:00
30 October – 1 November: 10:00–17:00
About the Exhibition
This autumn, Norwich welcomes Okinawan Kogei: Crafting Continuity and Change — a landmark cultural event introducing the vibrant traditions and contemporary expressions of Okinawan craftsmanship to UK audiences for the very first time.
The exhibition brings together eight leading artists from Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts, presenting works in weaving, bingata dyeing, ceramics, and lacquerware. These works highlight the richness of Okinawa’s Ryukyuan heritage while showcasing its innovative modern developments. Visitors will encounter the artistry of:

Hanashiro Miyako (weaving)
Kubota Hiroko (weaving)
Nago Tomokazu (bingata dyeing)
Ura Kyōko (bingata dyeing)
Yamada Satoshi (ceramics)
Shimabukuro Katsushi (ceramics)
Tōma Shigeru (lacquerware)
Matsuzaki Shinpei (lacquerware)

**********************************

Lecture at Duke Street Lecture Theatre, Norwich University of the Arts.
Monday 3 November, 17:00 GMT, Free admission.
Sorry — SOLD OUT!

**********************************
Workshop at Norwich University of the Arts.
Saturday 1 November, 10:00 & 14:30 GMT, Free admission.
Sorry — SOLD OUT!

In addition to the exhibition, a hands-on craft workshop and a public lecture by Professor Kobayashi Junko will offer opportunities to engage directly with Okinawan art and culture. These events will foster dialogue between Okinawan artists, Norwich communities, and students from both regions, encouraging new cultural and academic connections.

Curated by Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay (University of East Anglia), in partnership with Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts, the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, and Norwich University of the Arts, the project highlights Okinawa’s distinct cultural identity and broadens the scope of Japanese Studies in the UK.

Okinawan Kogei: Crafting Continuity and Change is more than an exhibition — it is a celebration of creativity, resilience, and cross-cultural exchange, offering UK audiences a rare opportunity to discover the depth and diversity of Okinawan craftsmanship and its place in the global art world.

Organisers

Acknowledgements

This project is generously supported by the Japan Foundation Endowment Committee, The Japan Foundation London, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, and the Nomura Foundation.

Contact

For press inquiries, images, and further information, please contact:
Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay, Sainsbury Institute Associate Professor in Japanese Art History.

Email: e.tomizawa-kay@uea.ac.uk
University of East Anglia