from Noto : September 2016

23/09/2016

Exhibition Notice

Japan Encapsulated

Lacquerwork produced by Takashi Wakamiya and his band of skilled craftspeople working under the name Hikoju Makie, will be exhibited at the Taipei Mayor’s Residence Art Salon between Friday 30th September and Saturday 15th October. The Salon is open between 10 am and 6 pm. For further information on the location and other details please access the site for the Mayor’s Residence at http://www.mayorsalon.tw/ in Chinese and English.

The work on show is highly representative of Japan and all carried out using true lacquer while drawing on the skills of the Hikoju Makie craftspeople lead by Takashi. Examples of the exhibits can be seen at the address below with Chinese explanation only.

http://www.mayorsalon.tw/Exhibitions/Details?id=cf64ecc6-d3eb-4985-abc8-120edccc0fdf

「彦十蒔絵・若宮隆志藝展　　當代日本漆藝」

期間：2016年9月30日(Fri.)~2016年10月15日（Sat.) 10:00-18:00

場所：http://www.mayorsalon.tw/

台湾台北の市長官邸藝文沙龍(The Mayor's Residence Art Salon)において台湾で初めての彦十蒔絵展を開催する事となりました。日本を象徴する漆芸作品を通して台湾の皆様と相互理解が得られる事を心より願っております。

こちらのURLはこの展覧会の写真と中国語紹介となります。
http://www.mayorsalon.tw/Exhibitions/Details?id=cf64ecc6-d3eb-4985-abc8-120edccc0fdf

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17/09/2016

2016 Snapshot 16 Simple and Plain

Kunikatsu Seto’s Gallery

One of the twentieth century’s most important building materials is without doubt concrete. It has a long history but it was not until the modern period that concrete as a major construction material came into its own. Unfinished or “fair faced concrete” found particular favour in Japan. Above the 1964 Tokyo Olympic pool and basket ball stadium designed by Kenzo Tange are particularly good examples of this building technique. Since their construction, however, the buildings have needed repair as the reinforcing steel-work has become exposed. The cause is thought to be too much salt in the sand for the concrete mix, which may have been a result of too much haste in construction.

Here in Wajima fair faced concrete has been paired with timber weather boarding. The composition is simple and plain and the finish of the interior is the same. As a backdrop for the inspirational lacquerwork of Kunikatsu Seto it could not be better (from Noto 16/01/2016 On Two Fronts, 07/07/2015 Inspired). Natural wood, fair faced concrete—both are respected in Japan for what they are. Materials with their own beauty and appeal.

Kunikatsu’s work can be seen at http://www.seto-kunikatsu.com

Bill Tingey Photo © Copyright

10/09/2016

Hello Kitty!?

Cute is cute, is cute

It must come as a bit of a surprise to be confronted by Hello Kitty on this blog. Nevertheless, here she is. Three of them in fact! They are the work of Takashi Wakamiya and his organisation Hikoju Makie. Hello Kitty is rendered as a netsuke in true lacquer.

The Net informs me that the Hello Kitty character was created by Yuko Shimizu and is produced by the large Japanese toy and novelity goods company Sanrio. The character is now designed by Yuko Yamaguchi.

These interpretations of the character represent some of Takashi’s most recent work.

The seated figure measures 40x32x23mm. The standing ones are 42x32x23mm.

Takashi’s work with Hikoju Makie is also featured on this blog in the post Hitting the Spot—Takashi Wakamiya, dated 10th February 2015.

But why Hello Kitty? Takashi was anxious to bring the art and craft of lacquerware to the attention of younger people, who these days may not knowingly have come into contact with items using the refined sap of the lacquer tree.

For those who have never handled a piece of lacquerware, I can only assure you that these figurines will have a touch and warmth completely unlike that of plastic. Their presence too will be made all the more significant by the delicacy of the decoration.

As a figure owned by Sanrio, Takashi negotiated with the company for more than two years to obtain a licence to create these figures, which as Takashi so rightly says are so representative of Japan’s soft culture with an unrivalled cute or distinctively Japanese kawaii appeal.

Hello Kitty is known across the world and ranks along side Doraemon, Pokemon and characters from the Studio Ghibli animation series of movies. There are a host of others which are not so well known but all of them have the same gentle appealing character, which is a hit with adults as much as children.

Before you start to save enough to buy one of these Hello Kitty figures, I must disappoint you. Only three were made. Earlier this year, they were exhibited at the Isetan Department Store in Shinjuku—one of Tokyo’s main downtown areas—and were bought by a collector of Takashi’s work. Hello Kitty—a true ambassador of kawaii!

Photo courtesy of Takashi Wakamiya Photo © Copyright

彦十蒔絵 Hikoju Makie

若宮隆志 Takashi Wakamiya

Website: wakamiya-takashi.com

Address: 1-188, Kekachidaira-machi,

Wajima-shi, Ishikawa, Japan 928-0093

Tel.+81-768-22-8601 FAX. +81-768-22-8651

05/09/2016

Exhibition Notice September

Lacquerware Exhibit: Work by Kazutaka Furukomi

One of the younger members of the Wajima Lacquer Study Group, Kazutaka Furukomi will be having an exhibition of his work at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nagoya from September 14th to 20th. The exhibit will be held in the Japanesque Gallery on the eight floor and open from 10am to 7:30pm.

Mitsukoshi Department Store, 3−5−1 Sakae, Naka Ward, Nagoya, ichi Prefecture, 〒460-8669 Tele: +81 52-252-1111

More of Kazutaka’s work is featured in this blog in posts on 18th June 2015 and 3 December 2015.

古込和孝氏展示会のお知らせ

漆芸展

2016年9月14日（水)～20日（火）

名古屋三越栄店　8階　ジャパネスクギャラリー

ＡＭ10：00～ＰＭ7：30