The third edition of the Mingei Bamboo Prize, initiated by Galerie Mingei in Paris, will be awarded on September 11, 2026 at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac with an exhibition presented between September 1 and 13. Visitors will be invited to vote for their favorite work via a QR code, and the winning artist will receive the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac / Parcours des Mondes / Mingei Prize. This vital and forward-looking initiative offers contemporary bamboo art meaningful recognition within the international art and design market.
Bamboo is a magical material and one of the most emblematic expressions of Japanese craftsmanship (‘kogei’). Beyond its inherent humble beauty, this extraordinary member of the grass family can be woven and shaped into an almost limitless variety of forms. Fast-growing and naturally regenerative—requiring neither fertilizers nor pesticides—bamboo is also among the most sustainable materials on earth.
Bamboo has long occupied a fundamental place in Japanese culture, used in the creation of furniture, screens, lanterns, chopsticks, kitchen utensils, and a remarkable range of utilitarian baskets. In fact, the town of Beppu has become Japan’s center of bamboo craft because of its hot-spring culture and the need for bamboo baskets, trays, and other utensils for the Onsen, driving it into a thriving regional industry.
In recent years, however, a new generation of artists has brought a fresh perspective to bamboo weaving, mastering and advancing ancient techniques to reach new heights of personal and artistic expression. During my visits to Japan, I never miss the opportunity to meet some of the country’s most ambitious bamboo artists; these encounters are invariably inspiring and their work doesn’t look anything like the traditional baskets.
Galerie Mingei has established itself as a leading force for Japanese kogei, and its commitment to bamboo art has contributed to numerous museum exhibitions. This year’s prize exhibition presents fourteen works selected from dozens of submissions. Moving decisively beyond the traditional boundaries of basketry, these works offer a compelling glimpse into the avant-garde of contemporary bamboo art in Japan. Each demonstrates exceptional mastery of basketry techniques while revealing a singular relationship with the material and a deeply personal artistic language. Through the artists’ gestures, technical virtuosity meets poetry, uniting the transmission of centuries-old knowledge with a thoughtful engagement with the contemporary world.
Do not miss this jeweled exhibition if you visit in Paris between September 1st and 13th, a true celebration of Japanese kogei.
