About Lucky Cat
Starting December 7, Creation Gallery G8 and Guardian Garden will jointly host an exhibition of “maneki-neko,” the iconic “beckoning cats” symbolic of Japan, beloved as good-luck charms. In all, a total of 188 cats, each of unique design, were created by a broad palette of creative artists and expertly fabricated by artisans from Seto, a city in Aichi Prefecture famed for its ceramic craftsmanship. The exhibition is the highlight of the annual charity event known as Creation Project. The 2022 event will be the last in a series tracing back to 1990. In August 2023, the two galleries will close, to be superseded the following month by the opening of the brand-new Recruit Art Center.*1
Maneki-neko is the Japanese name of the adorable cats, depicted with one paw raised, believed to bring good luck to wherever they are placed: in shops, business settings, homes, etc. Although their origins and derivations are uncertain, maneki-neko are said to have become popular in the mid-19th century in the “lower” regions of Tokyo, the area home to the “common people.”
The city of Seto is one of three major centers of maneki-neko production, its industrial beginnings dating to the early 20th century. The 188 feline figurines designed for Creation Project 2022 were fabricated by Kato Toki, one of Seto’s preeminent manufacturers of ceramic good-luck pieces for shrines and temples nationwide, as well as original items of unique design. The company is known for its maneki-neko that integrate traditional craftsmanship with contemporary artistic tastes, and its customer base today extends beyond Japan to users worldwide.
The Creation Project charity events have been held annually with the aims of proposing creative and rewarding lifestyles through creative arts and communication, and to foster familiarity with, and enjoyment of, design and art.*2 This year, for the first time since 2003, when the “MINI MINI MOTOR SHOW” featured miniature MINI Coopers of unique design, each item on display will be truly one-of-a-kind – no reproductions or multiple copies available for later purchase. For the 2022 event, the maneki-neko on display will be offered for purchase through a silent auction ending when the exhibition finishes. Proceeds, after deducting production costs, will be donated to the “Save the Children” charity organization, to aid and support children in need who will form Japan’s next generation.
The 2022 exhibition will also feature 20 maneki-neko created by children in “Creation Kids Lab 2022,” a workshop held in August.
Visitors are sure to enjoy seeing the maneki-neko created by 188 highly imaginative and inventive creative artists especially for this event. Each “Lucky Cat” is one-of-a-kind, unique in all the world.
About the Auction
The Lucky Cats (maneki-neko) on display will be available for purchase using a silent auction format. To participate, select the item which you want to buy, and place a bid in the amount you are willing to pay. Bidding will close when the exhibition finishes, and each Lucky Cat will go to the participant who placed the highest bid.
All bids must be offered online. Please note, however, that winning bidders must come to the gallery in person to make payment and take receipt of their purchased item during the designated time period (see below). This method has been chosen in order to ensure handover of the correct item and to prevent any damage to items that might occur during shipment. Please be sure to note this requirement before placing a bid.
Place a bid
Auction start: 11:00, December 7 (Wed), 2022 (JST)
Auction close: 23:59, January 21 (Sat), 2023 (JST)
Minimum bid: JPY 15,000 (plus tax＊) per item
＊ Please note that Japan’s 10% consumption tax will be added to the winning bid price. (For example: winning bid of JPY 15,000 + JPY 1,500 (tax) = final price JPY 16,500)
Bidding method: online, using the designated form.
URL: http://rcc.recruit.co.jp/g8/?p=47337 (Japanese language only)
＊Before placing a bid, be sure to read the Terms of Agreement.
URL: http://rcc.recruit.co.jp/g8/?p=47374 (Japanese language only)
Allocation of Proceeds
Proceeds from this event (after production costs) will be donated to the “Save the Children” charity organization. The funds will be used in Japan to support children in various ways: providing food to families adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to relieve child poverty, taking action to prevent child abuse, etc.
Organizers and Venues
Creation Gallery G8
Recruit Ginza8 Bldg., 1F, 8-4-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8001
TEL: 03-6835-2260
Guardian Garden
Hulic Ginza 7-chome Bldg., B1F, 7-3-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8227
TEL: 03-5568-8818
Apron Production
Kato pottery Co., Ltd.
Advertising Art
Norio Nakamura
Advertising Art
Norio Nakamura
Photography
Kohei Yamamoto: Lucky Cat and workshop (Creation Kids Lab),Ryuta Nasu:Lucky Cat
Creation Project
Creation Project is a series of annual exhibitions launched in 1990 as a charity event that conveys the fun and enjoyment of art and design to a large number of people, and also gives children an understanding of the value and appeal of Japanese craftsmanship and design. Each year works created on a noncommercial basis by artists with links to the two galleries are displayed and offered for sale, and the proceeds are donated to various charity causes. The name “Creation Project” was adopted in 2009. From 2011 through 2015, the project was conducted to support recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami disaster of March 2011, generating donations totaling approximately ¥11.34 million. By focusing on the area’s local artisans and their supreme craftsmanship, the project provided a significant boost to local industries. In 2016 a donation in the amount of ¥1.58 million was made in support of recovery from that year’s series of severe earthquakes in the Kumamoto region. Since 2017 the scope of production bases for the featured items has been expanded nationwide, and the project serves to demonstrate, through the power of design, Japan’s traditional craftsmanship and industrial capabilities. Under this format, between 2017 and 2020 a total of ¥3.13 million was donated to the “Save the Children” charity organization.
Creation Project 2011: Tote Bags Made in East Japan
Creation Project 2012: EAST ALOHA
Creation Project 2013: Little Handbags from Ishinomaki
Creation Project 2014: Japanese-style Notebooks from Tohoku
Creation Project 2015: Date Knitting
Creation Project 2016: Indigo Cups
Creation Project 2017: Tube Socks
Creation Project 2018: Small Oborisoma-ware Plates
Creation Project 2019: Furoshiki Kaleidoscope
Creation Project 2020:Masu Boxes
