Monika Kopplin is leaving and going into retirement after almost thirty years as the Director of the Museum for Lacquer Art. She has contributed in no small measure to the international reputation of the institution. To mark the occasion, the special volume Lacquer Friends of the World presents 24 artists from eight nations who have accompanied her over the years. Works by almost all the participating artists have already been shown in exhibitions in the Museum for Lacquer Art; works by others have been acquired for the museum collection over the years. The huge variety of contemporary lacquer art from Japan, China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Russia and Europe is reflected in this show and opens up a glimpse into the present and the possible future of this form of craftsmanship. In addition to works based on tradition it also presents design objects and experimental installations: innovative, modern, playful, clearly structured, classic!