Masakazu Ishihara

1960 -
  • Lacquerware
  • Price Range $1,000 - 71,000
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  • Awards at Japan Kōgei Assoc. Exhibitions : 10

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    • Category
      Lacquerware
    • Techniques
      Carved lacquer
    • Born
      1960 -
    • Based in
      Kagawa
    • Membership
      Full member, Japan Kogei Association
      Designated as Intangible Cultural Property of Kagawa Prefecture for choshitsu
      Manager of the Japan Kōgei Association
    Masakazu Ishihara

    About the Artist

    Breaking new ground in the field of lacquerware with high quality traditional techniques and modern designs

    Masakazu Ishihara studied under Living National Treasure and Sanuki lacquerware artist, Kodo Otomaru, and was designated as Intangible Cultural Property of Kagawa prefecture for choshitsu (lacquer carving) in 2011. His specialties are choshitsu, which is applying layers of lacquer and carving patterns to make them look three dimensional, and tsuishitsu inlay, which is inlaying parts applied with layers of lacquer. He has been awarded several times at the Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition and the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition where the most recent artwork of artists representing Japan gather. He established his own style, "creating lacquerware that is beautiful, yet practical in our modern life style, using high quality, traditional techniques", and is currently taking on new challenges to make innovative lacquerware that has never been made before.

    Style

    My work is to produce urushi lacquerware, a Japanese traditional craft.
    From approximately 6,000 years ago, when lacquerware started to be used in daily life, through to the present day, its techniques have been developed into one of the applied fine arts. I am exploring unconventional, new, and innovative lacquerware for the future.
    While using the most advanced techniques of this traditional craft, I aim to create pieces that beautifully match and can be used in modern life.

    Biography

    • 1960
      Born in Takamatsu CIty, Kagawa Prefecture
    • 1979
      Completed course at the Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute
      Studied under Living National Treasure, OTOMARU Kodo
    • 1982
      Selected for the first time at the 29th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1992
      First solo exhibition at Seibu Department Store, Ikebukuro, Tokyo
    • 1993
      Evaluator at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1994
      Submitted to the "Choshitsu (Carved Lacquer) Today" Exhibition held at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
    • 1995
      Solo exhibition at Seibu Department Store, Ikebukuro, Tokyo
      Evaluator at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1996
      Solo exhibition at Gallery Torin, Takamatsu
    • 2001
      OTOMARU Kodo School Exhibition (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Takamatsu Mitsukoshi)
    • 2002
      Solo exhibition at Gallery Tanaka (Ginza, Tokyo)
    • 2011
      Designated as Intagible Cultural Property of Kagawa Prefecture for choshitsu
    • 2017
      Evaluator at the 35th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2021
      Evaluator at the 38th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

    Awards

    • 1985
      Received the Tokushima Shimbun Award at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1987
      Received the ISOI Joshin Award at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1988
      Received the Incentive Award at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1990
      Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 1991
      Received the Takamatsu City Board of Education Award at the Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition
      Received the ISOI Joshin Award at the Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2003
      Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at the 20th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
      Received the Takamatsu City Board of Education Award at the Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition
    • 2004
      Received the Japan Kogei Association Incentive Award at the 51st Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2005
      Received the Takamatsu City Cultural Encouragement Award
    • 2006
      Received the Governor Award at the 71st Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition
    • 2007
      Received the 50th Anniversary Special Award at the 50th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2009
      Received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award at the 27th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2010
      Received the 1st Kagawa Prefecture Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Public Interest Association Award
    • 2012
      Received the Special Award at the 55th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2015
      Received the Marukame CIty Board of Education Award at the 80th Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition
      Received the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 33rd Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2018
      Received the Kagawa Governor Award at the 83rd Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition
      Received the Kagawa Prefecture Cultural Arts Award
    • 2020
      Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at the 38th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

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