Emi Yabuuchi

• Category
  Lacquerware
• Techniques
  Kinma, Dry lacquer, Lacquered bamboo
• Based in
  Kagawa
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute, professional staff

About the Artist

Mixing traditional Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware techniques, colored lacquer and carvings

Many artists creating Kagawa urushi lacquerware, which has a history of 200 years, have been designated as Living National Treasures. Having been charmed by the traditional techniques unique to Kagawa lacquerware, Emi Yabuuchi is a lacquerware artist based in Kagawa. Yabuuchi has been highly praised for her skills in "Kinma", which is a technique where colored lacquer is applied into the carved lines and dots. She received her first award, New Artist Award at the Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition in 2009, and since then, she has received various awards at exhibitions where the top lacquerware artists of Japan gather. She expresses natural scenery that she has seen using colored lacquer and creates a colorful, unique atmosphere, entertaining the eyes of those who see her artwork.

Style

The unique expressions produced by the layers of colored lacquer is what makes kinma charming.
I hope those who see my artwork enjoy the refined sight created by the kinma dot patterns.

Biography

• 1999
  Graduated from Nara Prefectural Takamado High School, Art course
• 2004
  Graduated from Aichi University of Education, Faculty of Education, Lifelong Education
  Department, Art, Design, and Culture Course, Urushi Art major
  Received the Excellence Award for graduation work at Aichi University of Education
• 2007
  Completed the Research Student Program at Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute
  Received the Japan Urushi Association Lacquerware Scholarship Award
• 2008
  Completed the Researcher Program at Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute
• 2010
  Started working at Kagawa Urushi Lacquerware Institute
• 2014
  Invited to submit to the 19th Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition New Artist Award Division (MOA Museum of Art)
• 2016
  Kagawa Culture and Arts Newcomers Awarded Artists Exhibition (Kagawa Prefectural Cultural Hall)
  Kagawa Lacquerware Art Exhibition (Kagawa Museum)
  International Contemporary Ottchil Art Exhibition (Ottchil Art Museum, South Korea)
• 2017
  Kagawa Lacquerware Artists' Exhibition (Tokyo International Forum Art Shop)
  Took part in production of Sergio Rossi's high heels, a collaboration project by the Katei Gaho magazine (Katei Gaho November edition)
• 2018
  URUSHI Tradition and Innovation Exhibition (Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art, Sogo Museum of Art (Yokohama), MOA Museum of Art)
  Evaluator at the 61st Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2019
  Took part in production of RODO's part bag, a collaboration project by the Katei Gaho magazine (Katei Gaho April edition)
  Took part in the Asia-Pacific Lacquer Art x Local Creation Forum (Taiwan)
• 2020
  Took part in production of Japanese tea box for open-air tea ceremonies with Royal Copenhagen, a collaboration project by the Katei Gaho magazine (Katei Gaho May edition)
  Special exhibition "Japanese Lacquerwork 2020" (Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum)
• 2021
  Special exhibition "Expressing Lacquer" (Kanazawa Nakamura Memorial Museum)
• 2022
  "The Beauty of Crafts – Metal and Urushi Lacquer –" Exhibition (Ise Foods Inc.,)

Awards

• 2009
  Received the New Artist Award at the 27th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2010
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Shikoku Branch Incentive Award at the 53rd Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Received the Agency for Cultural Affairs Commissioner's Award at the 28th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2011
  Received the 2nd Kagawa Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Foundation Award
• 2012
  Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 55th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2013
  Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at the 30th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Received the 4th Kagawa Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Foundation Award
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 60th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2014
  Received the Kagawa Prefecture Culture and Art New Artist Award for the academic year 2013
• 2015
  Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 58th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2016
  Received the 7th Kagawa Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Foundation Award
  Received the NHK Takamatsu Broadcasting Station Award at the 59th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2017
  Received the 8th Kagawa Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Foundation Award
  Received the Incentive Award / Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center Award at the 34th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Received the Joshin Isoi Award at the 60th Shikoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2018
  Received the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Award at the 35th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Received the Kagawa Traditional Crafts Matsudaira Foundation Award Special Award for the year 2017
• 2021
  Received the Incentive Award at the 85th Kagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition