Congratulations! NUU Student Wang Ting-Ya Wins the Itami Award at the 2026 ITAMI International Craft Exhibition
Under the guidance of Professor Chiang Hsiu-Jye, Wang Ting-Ya, a student from the Department of Industrial Design at National United University, received the prestigious Itami Award at the 2026 ITAMI International Craft Exhibition in Japan for the work Between the Islands, standing out among numerous international submissions.
The ITAMI International Craft Exhibition is an internationally recognized open craft competition. It is classified as a Category I International Competition in Craft Design under the Ministry of Education's International Design Competition (IDC) program, making it one of the significant international competitions in craft design. The event evolved into the ITAMI International Craft Exhibition in 1998 and, since 2001, has alternated between the themes of Jewellery and Shuki Shuhaidai (Sake Vessels and Sake Cup Stands), attracting craft artists and designers from around the world.
The 2026 competition focused on the theme of Shuki Shuhaidai (Sake Vessels and Sake Cup Stands). With no restrictions on materials, the competition encouraged participants to explore the relationships among sake vessels, sake cup stands, and drinking culture through diverse materials, craftsmanship, and design approaches, highlighting the possibilities of contemporary crafts and everyday objects.
This year's competition received a total of 251 submissions, of which 97 works were selected for exhibition and eight received awards. Wang Ting-Ya's Between the Islands was honored with the Itami Award, one of the major awards of the exhibition. The official Japanese jury results also listed WANG Ting-Ya and CHIANG Hsiu-Jye in association with Between the Islands and the Itami Award.
This international recognition reflects Wang Ting-Ya's achievements in craft creation, material exploration, and product design under the guidance of Professor Chiang Hsiu-Jye. It also demonstrates the department's continued commitment to integrating design thinking, material experimentation, and craftsmanship into its teaching. Through participation in international competitions, students gain opportunities to showcase their creative works on the global stage, exchange ideas with designers and artists from different countries and regions, and broaden their professional perspectives.
The award-winning work Between the Islands is scheduled to be exhibited at the Itami City Museum in Japan from to . The award ceremony is scheduled for .
Congratulations to Professor Chiang Hsiu-Jye and Wang Ting-Ya on this outstanding achievement and international recognition!
