Masahiro Sasaki

About the Artist

The Beauty of Kinma that Lives on Today

Lacquer artist Masahiro Sasaki infuses new life into the traditional technique of Kagawa lacquer art, kinma by shading and making gradations with colored lacquer, and creates his original world of art. The process of Kinma is usually applying layers of a single colored lacquer, carving the patterns, inlaying colored lacquer and polishing. However, Sasaki starts by using a number of colored lacquer and applying them on the base coat to create a gradation. After drying, he then carves out the patterns and inlays colored lacquer into the carvings several times. With this meticulous process, exquisite tones of color and delicate gradations are created. This profound beauty is proof of his outstanding skills and creativity, and his artwork is highly evaluated among lacquer art collectors in Japan and overseas.

Style

SASAKI applies bokashi-nuri (shading) for a finish coat and expresses patterns with fine line carving, and uses the kinma (incised and color-filled decoration) technique to inlay the patterns and give gradation in the color.

Biography

• 1977
  Received the Excellence Award for graduation work at Musashino Art University
• 1979
  Completed the Master's Degree Program at Musashino Art University Graduate School of Art and Design
• 1983
  Selected for the first time at the 30th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2007
  Specially invited to the Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2009
  Evaluator for the 26th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (also in 2013 and 2016)
  Designated as Holder of Intangible Cultural Property of Kagawa Prefecture for "Kinma"
• 2011
  Received the Kagawa Prefecture Cultural Arts Award
• 2014
  Evaluator for the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2021
  Awarded as Kagawa Prefecture Person of Cultural Merits

Awards

• 1990
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 7th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (also in 2006)
• 1999
  Received the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Award at the 16th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (also in 2005)
• 2000
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the 17th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2008
  Received the Tokyo Governor Award at the 55th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2011
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Incentive Award at the 58th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2022
  Received the MITSUI Golden Takumi Award

Public Collections

• Takamatsu Art Museum
• The Kagawa Museum