This display showcases never-before-seen drawings by Kenji Umeda (1948-2019), alongside sculpture, prints and letters.
Moving to Cambridge from Japan in the early 1970s, Umeda befriended Jim and Helen Ede and worked in the Kettle’s Yard house. In caring for the collection, Umeda became drawn to the work of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, inspiring him to further his study of sculpture in Carrara, Italy, before moving to the United States.
In letters, Umeda describes Jim Ede as his sensei, or teacher, and from his studio in Arizona he sent the Edes his marble sculpture Spirality (1977), which is displayed in the Kettle’s Yard house to this day, adjacent to works by Lucie Rie and William Scott. This display showcases new research, combining artworks and archival correspondence to follow Kenji Umeda’s life and career through his lasting friendship with Jim Ede.
A preview of this exhibition will be staged in the Margaret Howell flagship store in Marylebone, London, from 19 March – 12 April 2026.
Curated by Dr Inga Fraser, Senior Curator (House and Collection).
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Visitor information
Address
Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ
01223 748100
Opening times
Tuesday - Sunday, 11am-5pm
House, galleries, café and shop are open. You can pre-book your visit online, or come along for walk up tickets (available first come, first served) for the house and gallery. Last entry to the House at 4.20pm.
If you wish to visit the house, you will need to book a house ticket, which comes with a 50% National Art Pass discount. House tickets include entry to current exhibitions. If the house is fully booked, you can still visit the exhibition galleries by booking an exhibition ticket or coming along on the day you wish to visit.
Exclusions and safety measures
Please check the Kettle’s Yard website for any one-off closures.
