Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

Kojiro Kosugi, “Pansy and Wild Flowers.” 2006. Kasama Nichido Museum of Art

Combining the words “crayon” and “pastel,” the kurepasu is a humble drawing implement that’s been in wide use in Japanese schools since the ’20s. Yet thanks to its durability and ease of use, the kurepasu has, for many fine artists, become a favorite alternative to oils and watercolors. This show in Saitama presents 168 works, most of them from the Sakura Art Museum—owned by Japan’s largest maker of children’s art supplies—and includes pieces dating back to the ’30s by figures such as influential painter Manjiro Terauchi and well-known printmaker Kanae Yamamoto.

Urawa Art Museum
Rediscovered! The Possibilities of Pastel Crayons. Drawing. Until June 27, ¥100 (elem, MS)/¥200 (HS, univ)/¥400 (general). 3F Urawa Century City, 2-5-1 Naka-cho, Urawa-ku, Saitama. Tel: 048-827-3215. Open Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Urawa. www.uam.urawa.saitama.jp