Box of kanshitsu with design in kinma. “Morning dusk”
H 13.0 x W 30.5 x D 19.5 cm,Year.2013Emi Yabuchi
- Lacquerware
- Price Range Please Inquire
- Awards at Japan Kōgei Assoc. Exhibitions : 12
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.
View DetailDescription
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CategoryLacquerware
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DimensionsH 13.0 x W 30.5 x D 19.5 cm
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Year of creation2013
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RarityUnique
Techniques
Dry lacquer
For works of dry lacquer (kanshitsu), first a clay form is created and plaster is used to take a mold of the form. Next, repeated layers of hemp cloth and lacquer are applied to the mold until they are built up to the desired thickness. Finally, the mold is removed and additional coats of lacquer are applied to finish the piece. The hemp fibers are strengthened when the lacquer bonds with them, making dry lacquer an excellent technique for creating sturdy forms with a significant degree of freedom.
Kinma
There are three basic variations of kinma based on the method used for cutting the motifs: line cutting, dot cutting, and a combination of the two. All three types use a special carving blade known as a kinma ken. Originally, kinma only consisted of motifs made of incised lines. However, by combining a variety of colored lacquers and cutting techniques, the art has lent itself to increasingly complex designs.
Award
- The 60th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (2013)
- Asahi Shimbun Award
Artist Comment
I used the hills that I used to see every day in my hometown Nara for the design. Recently I am interested in the history and literature of my hometown. I found that there was a folklore within the scenery that I had been seeing that I didn't know about, and decided to make this piece.
I overlapped the mountains to give a sense of perspective and made them look as if they were gradually fading away so that the humid and hazy air of dawn and flow of time would overlap with a scene that would make you feel like you've traveled back to the ancient times.
I think I was able to enhance the quiet atmosphere of dawn with the complex color overlapping using kinma.
I am very grateful to receive this award and I feel determined to work harder. I was able to make my artwork supported by various encounters. I am deeply thankful to have been able to meet all of you and to have encountered kinma.
(from the Japan Kōgei Association newsletter)
