■More than quarter of a century have passed since Japan Glass Artcrafts Association was established in 1972. At that time, freelance glass artist members formed only a small minority, and the constitution of the Association owed heavily to designers belonging to various glass related corporations, some at the same time, making their way as individual glass artists.
Today, approximately half of the constitutes are freelance artists, their number increasing year after year, and the trend is expected to continue into the future. Seemingly, a transition is taking place. The Association is growing into a group of individual artists rather than being a group of corporations as it once used to be. I am hoping though, proportion of both parties is well balanced, each acting as a wheel of the vehicle, synchronizing and competing simultaneously, on order to create a new horizon of glass art in Japan.
Another visible trend is the remarkable participation of female glass artists. Glass, a diverse and flexible material has made it possible for female artists to freely express their own styles and identities and has lead to their present success and acceptance by a broad range of public.
The goal of this exhibition sponsored by Japan Glass Artcafts Association, is to present the updated situation of glass art in Japan, not only to domestic audiences but to a worldwide society of glass art as well. Therefore, it is an exhibition that will draw worldwide attention. Rather than celebrating the past as the 20th Anniversary of the association did, this time ﾒGlass in Japanﾓ has chosen the sub-title ﾒEchoeing Light and Shadowﾓ with the intention of making a new starting point heading into the next century. Having this in mind, artists domestic and worldwide have contributed a total of 113 pieces to this exhibition being judged by 5 judges including Mr. Naoshi Tomobe and Mr. Atsushi Takeda as guest judges. I would like to express my special thanks to all 113 artists who have participated in this event, 81 from the Association, 24 invited artists, and 8 significant artists from abroad. Despite various attempts and efforts to secure several facilities for the exhibition, regretfully, Odakyu Museum was the only institution with which we were able to make arrangements. I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Odakyu Department Store for their cooperation, and at the same time, to Japan, Asahi

○Tokyo exhibition
subtitle: "Echoing Light and Shadow"
date: September 4 - 15, 1996
place: Odakyu Grand Gallery, Tokyo
organized by: Japan Glass Artcrafts Association
supported by: Agency for Cultural Affairs
Asahi Shimbun Publishing Co.
cooperated by: Japan Glass Manufactures Association of Japan
The British Council
exhibitors: 83 members, 8 overseas invited artists, and 23 selected domestic works in the applicants.

○1996 exhibition committee
chairman: Shintaro Shibazaki
committees: Takashi Iwasaki, Yukio Ueno, Shunichi Kamiyama, Yoko Kuramoto, Yasuhisa Kuurita, Mitsugi Kobayashi, Jun Fujita, Naoto Yokoyama
catalogue: Shintaro Shibazaki
secretary: Sachiyo Takenaga
photograph: Kazuyuki Yazawa

○selection committee
JGAA: Kyohei Fujita, Saburo Funakoshi, Shintaro Shibazaki
Toyama memorial Museum of Art: Nao Tomobe
Yokohama Museum of Art: Atsushi Takeda