Hannya Taiju was born in Takaoka City in Toyama Prefecture, which flourished as a cast metal producing locality dating back over 400 years. In the foundry that he operates with his father Tamotsu, numerous metals such as cast iron, iron sand, bronze, brass, and sahari (an alloy of copper, tin and lead) are melted and made into art castings. Hannya works in the fukiwake method, in which three different metals are individually poured into a mold within five seconds of each other. Due to the different melting points of the three metals, they form distinguished patterns rather than being mixed together. Taiju and his father Tamotsu are the only known artists to have ever made three-metal cast pieces. Hannya uses the designs of the separate metals to create mystical weavings characterized by artistic contrasting and curving gestures.
Selected Exhibitions
- 2017-2018 Asia Week, New York, US
- 2017 International Hokuriku Kogei Summit, Toyama, Japan
- 2015 The Best of Toyama: Kōgei Art and Design from Japan, Onishi Gallery, New York, US |
- The 54th Japan Traditional Kōgei Toyama Exhibition, Takaoka Art Museum, Toyama, Japan
- Contemporary Japanese Kogei, Onishi Gallery, New York, NY
- 2014 The 20th Takaoka Art Museum Exhibition, Toyama, Japan