MONO MAKERS PROGRAM Special Exhibition & Lecture at MONO JAPAN Fair 2026
As part of our Cultural Programme at MONO JAPAN Fair 2026, we are pleased to present a special MONO MAKERS PROGRAM (MMP) exhibition and lecture, inviting you to explore the creative fusion of Japanese craftsmanship and Dutch design.
This special exhibition showcases unique, contemporary objects created through past MMP collaborations, highlighting how tradition and innovation come together through cross-cultural exchange. Each work represents a dialogue between Japanese makers and Dutch designers—revealing new possibilities born from shared expertise, experimentation, and mutual respect.
In addition to the exhibition, we warmly invite MMM members to join the lecture:
Lecture Creative Collaboration in the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM: Mid-Project Report
Date: Saturday, January 24th, 2026
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Venue: Nieuwe Instituut
URL: https://www.monojapan.nl/cultural-programme/lectures
The MONO MAKERS PROGRAM (MMP) is a Dutch–Japanese creative collaboration initiative run by MONO JAPAN in partnership with NN Life Insurance Japan. Launched in 2023, the program connects Japanese manufacturing professionals and Dutch designers through MONO JAPAN’s online platform, MONO MAKERS MEET (MMM). Since its inception, MMP has supported meaningful collaborations, with outcomes presented internationally—including as a cultural project connecting Japan and the Netherlands at Expo 2025 Osaka.
Now in its third year, the program features two active creative pairings.
The Grand Prix collaboration brings together Samira Boon, a designer with extensive experience in both Japan and abroad, and Kojima Orimono, a Kyoto-based company with nearly 100 years of history in producing woven wallpaper and fusuma paper. The pair has been collaborating closely since June.
The Runner-up collaboration pairs Lena Winterink, a textile designer based in Amsterdam, with SHOBIEN KYOTO, a Kyoto-based maker renowned for Roketsuzome (wax-resist dyeing) textiles and Noren curtains. Together, they are exploring new products that merge traditional techniques with contemporary design sensibilities.
