The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum will present Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West, a retrospective of one of the 20th century's most celebrated British ceramicists. It is the first large-scale survey of Lucie Rie's work to be held in Japan in around a decade.
Born in Vienna in 1902, Lucie Rie discovered her passion for the potter's wheel while studying at the Vienna School of Applied Arts. Forced to flee to London in 1938, she rebuilt her practice in Britain and went on to define a distinctive aesthetic: graceful wheel-thrown forms, inventive surface decoration using inlay and sgraffito techniques, and richly colored glazes. Her refined yet quietly commanding works have attracted admirers across generations.
This exhibition goes beyond Rie's individual output by situating her within a broader web of artistic relationships. Works by Josef Hoffmann — whom she met in Vienna — as well as Bernard Leach, Hans Coper, and Shoji Hamada, all encountered during her years in Britain, are shown alongside her pieces. The display also revisits the connections between Rie's ceramics and the East Asian ceramic traditions that shaped her sensibilities, tracing the sources of her forms and the convictions embedded in her work from her early career through to her mature period.
A highlight of the exhibition is the gathering of significant Lucie Rie pieces from Japanese collections, including works from the Iuchi Collection held in trust at the National Crafts Museum in Kanazawa.
The venue itself adds a further dimension: the Teien Art Museum's main building is a 1933 Art Deco structure originally built as the private residence of Prince and Princess Asaka. The interplay between Rie's delicate and refined ceramic world and the historic architectural setting offers a distinctive viewing experience.
Exhibition Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Exhibition Title | Lucie Rie: Elegant Vessels Fusing East and West |
| Dates | July 4 (Sat) – September 13 (Sun), 2026 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (last entry 30 minutes before closing) ※ Special late opening until 9:00 PM on Fridays: August 7, 14, 21, and 28 |
| Closed | Every Monday (except July 20 is open; Tuesday, July 21 is closed instead) |
| Venue | Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (Main Building + New Building) |
| Admission | General: ¥1,400 (advance ¥1,120) / University students (including vocational colleges): ¥1,120 (advance ¥890) / High school students and those aged 65 and over: ¥700 (advance ¥560) |
| Free Admission | Junior high school students and younger; holders of disability and health certificates and up to two caregivers (including Mirairo ID); Tokyo public school students and teachers on educational visits (pre-application required); those aged 65 and over on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (Silver Day) |
| Notes | Date-specific timed entry reservation required |
| Organizers | Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), Tokyo Shimbun |
| Planning Cooperation | National Crafts Museum |
| Special Cooperation | Iuchi Collection, Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art |
| Access | 5-21-9 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo ／ 7-minute walk from Meguro Station (JR Yamanote Line East Exit / Tokyu Meguro Line Main Exit) ／ 6-minute walk from Shirokanedai Station (Toei Mita Line / Tokyo Metro Namboku Line Exit 1) |
For more details: https://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/exhibition/lucie-rie/
Related Programs
Lecture: "Lucie Rie: Connecting East and West"
The exhibition supervisor will discuss Lucie Rie's life, works, and ties to East Asian ceramics.
- Lecturer: Mieko Iwai (Head of Crafts, National Crafts Museum / Exhibition Supervisor)
- Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, New Building Gallery 2
- Admission: Free (valid exhibition ticket required)
- Capacity: 80 (advance reservation required; lottery if oversubscribed)
- Support: Sign language interpretation and text display available
- Applications open on the museum website from Thursday, June 18, 2026
Mini Lecture by Exhibition Curator
The curator introduces highlights of the exhibition for first-time visitors or those seeking a concise overview.
- Lecturer: Kotoe Katsuta (Curator, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum)
- Dates: Friday, July 31, 2026, 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM / Saturday, August 8, 2026, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
- Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, New Building Gallery 2
- Admission: Free (valid exhibition ticket required)
- Capacity: 80 (advance reservation required; lottery if oversubscribed)
- Applications open on the museum website from Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Workshop: "Make a Ceramic Button"
Participants create their own original buttons, inspired by Lucie Rie's ceramic buttons.
- Instructor: Yuko Okazaki (ceramicist)
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM / 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, New Building Gallery 2
- Admission: Free (valid exhibition ticket required)
- Eligible: Upper elementary school students and above
- Capacity: Approximately 20 per session (advance reservation required; lottery if oversubscribed)
- Applications open on the museum website from Wednesday, July 22, 2026
- Finished buttons will be mailed to participants after the event
"Sawa-kai" — Touch and Talk Viewing Session
A participatory session in which visitors touch elements of the building and artworks, share impressions, and engage in dialogue. Participants are invited to hold a Lucie Rie tea bowl in the teahouse "Kouka" and discuss what they feel.
- Organizer: Kozue Handa (Part-time Lecturer, Meiji Gakuin University)
- Date: Sunday, July 12, 2026
- Morning session: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Afternoon session: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, Teahouse "Kouka"
- Admission: Free (valid exhibition ticket required)
- Eligible: Junior high school students and above
- Capacity: Approximately 6 per session (advance reservation required; lottery if oversubscribed)
- Applications open on the museum website from Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Flat Days
The museum limits visitor numbers on Flat Days to create a more relaxed environment for all.
① Relaxed Viewing Day
A day for anyone — with or without disabilities — to enjoy the museum at a leisurely pace, with reduced crowds and a welcoming atmosphere for wheelchair users and those who require assistance.
- Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (last entry 5:30 PM)
- Please note that strollers are not permitted inside the main building
② Baby Hour
A time for families with infants to enjoy the exhibition comfortably. Strollers are permitted inside the main building during this window.
- Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (stroller access period)
Art communicators will also lead viewing tours on both Flat Days (advance reservation required).
