Kayo Takahashi

About the Artist

Expressing the Freshness of Plants with Colored Lacquer

Kayo Takahashi is a lacquer artist that expresses the freshness and liveliness of plants full of vitality with traditional techniques such as kinma and zonsei. After graduating from Kagawa University, Takahashi met Hitoshi Ota who later became Living National Treasure, and studied under him. Kinma is a technique where patterns are carved in the vessel of which layers of lacquer are applied, colored lacuer is applied on the carved patterns, and the surface is polished. Zonsei is engraving the outline of the patterns and adding hairline engraving. These techniques are combined with other techniques such as mother-of-pearl inlay to make the plants look three dimensional and blend into the background. In 2023, she received the Excellence Award / Japan Kōgei Association Award at the Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition that has a history of more than 60 years, and her artwork is gaining a high reputation.

Style

Making pieces using kinma and zonsei, which are techniques where layers of lacquer are applied, patterns are carved with a knife, filled with color lacquer, and finally polished. Mainly using plants for the designs, expressing them with delicate lines and color lacquer.

Biography

• 1989
  Graduated from Kagawa University, Faculty of Education
• 1993
  Completed course at Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute
• 2000
  Studied under Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property for "Kinma", Hitoshi Ohta
• 2003
  Becomes the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Emerging Artist Domestic Trainee
• 2004
  Becomes Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 2014
  Japan-Myanmar Exhibition at Bagan Lacquerware Technology College, Myanmar
• 2016
  Asian Lacquer Exhibition at Chiang Mai University Art Center, Thailand
  Asian Lacquer Exhibition at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi, Vietnam
• 2018
  Asian Lacquer Exhibition at Siem Reap, Cambodia
• 2019
  Female Lacquer Artists of China, Japan and South Korea Exhibition at Fujiansheng Haixia Minjian Art Museum, China
• 2022
  "Urushi Forms and Hope - Lacquer Art in Southeast Asia - " Exhibition at The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts

Awards

• 2004
  Recieved the Incentive Award at the 47th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2006
  Recieved the Shimane Governor Award at the 49th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2007
  Received the Masami Isoi Award at the Masami Isoi Award Exhibition
• 2011
  Recieved the Okayama Mayor Award at the 54th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2012
  Recieved the Okayama Mayor Award at the 55th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2013
  Recieved the Incentive Award at the 56th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2015
  Received the Incentive Award, Traditional Crafts of Kumamoto Prefecture Award at the 32nd Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2017
  Received the Shimane Governor Award at the Japan Kōgei Association Chūgoku Branch 60th Anniversary Exhibition
• 2023
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the 66th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

Public Collections

• Kyuman Museum of Art

Official Site / Social Media etc.

• Facebook
• Instagram