Shizuoka City Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum was established to house the works and personal collection of Serizawa Keisuke, a prominent leading dyeing artist in Japan. These were donated by Serizawa himself to his hometown, Shizuoka City. Since opening in June 1981, we have continued collecting, preserving and researching Serizawa's works. And by conducting various exhibitions about him, we offer information about his art in order to preserve his works for future generations. As an art museum of a unique dyeing artist, it attracts many fans from inside and outside Japan.
　The building, which was designed by the architect Shirai Seiichi (1905-1983), is also admired by visitors. It is located in Toro Park, famous for the ancient remains from the Yayoi Period (about 200 B.C. to 200 A.D.). Shirai constructed the building chiefly with stone, wood and water to harmonize it with its surroundings and make it a comfortable place to view Serizawa's works.
　This art museum now holds about 800 pieces of Serizawa's work and about 4500 pieces of his folk art collection. These materials are exhibited in our art museum by rotating exhibitions three times a year.

　 Serizawa Keisuke (1895-1984) was acknowledged as a "Living National Treasure" in 1956 for his stencil dyeing technique called "Kataezome." This is a technique that uses stencils (katagami) to dye the original artistic patterns on cloth material or Japanese paper.
　 This word was created by the Agency for Cultural Affairs to express Serizawa Keisuke's style when the late artist received the title of "Living national Treasure." His creations cover a large range of works: Kimono, Obi (sash), Noren (door way curtains), Kabekake (wall drapes), and Byobu (folding screens). All were designed using the Kataezome technique; improving various Japanese traditional stencil dyeing crafts, in particular Bingata in the Okinawa District. He is the first man to try dyeing not only cloth but also Japanese paper. His success widened the scope of dyeing to beyond that of just cloth.
　 In his bold descriptive style and construction of patterns, Serizawa uses motifs such as plants, animals, domestic wares, people, landscapes, and characters, as well as bright and lively color tones. Along with these traits, there is a warm feeling that runs throughout all of his works. His prominent works are not limited to dyeing and can also be found in other creations: books, thick curtains, stained glass, furniture, glass paintings, and calligraphy.

　 The art critic Yanagi Muneyoshi (1889-1961) discovered the beauty of handicrafts made by unknown craftsmen and began the “Mingei (folk craft) Movement” to introduce it to the public. Serizawa Keisuke, who shared the same ideal, always made a point to collect folk craft at home as well as abroad. He was attracted by their vivid beauty born out of daily life. Moreover, it became an inspiration for his own creations.
　 This collection includes such items as textiles, folk-paintings, pottery, lacquer ware, books, furniture, toys, masks, and woodwork.　They are very interesting as folk material. But if we observe these works bearing in mind that they influenced the creative momentum of the artist, we can find a unique sense of beauty in their selection and insight into the artist's world.
　 This collection is called the “Serizawa Collection.” Most of the approximately 4,500 piece collection is preserved and exhibited in our art museum.