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The Spirit of Noto: Urushi Artists of Wajima & Waves of Resilience

Past viewing_room
1 - 26 October 2024
  • Yamagishi Kazuo, Box with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, “Young Maples,” 2021, Paulownia, gold powder, and urushi, 5 3/4 x 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 in. (14.6 x 18.4 x 18.4 cm)
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  • There is no better black than the black of urushi, a unique substance that captivates all who see it. I...

    There is no better black than the black of urushi, a unique substance that captivates all who see it. I am so pleased that lacquer art—a special symbol of Japan—is getting to be better appreciated by our friends overseas, making me confident that urushi, along with the colors it expresses, will remain with us forever. I pray that in future its star will shine ever brighter.

    - Yamagishi Kazuo

     
  • Yamagishi Kazuo, Cylindrical Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, Two Rivers, 2021, Japanese cherry birch, gold powder, and urushi, 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 in. (6.8 x 6.8 cm)
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  • I am delighted that thanks to Onishi Gallery our American friends have been given this opportunity to appreciate the luster...

    I am delighted that thanks to Onishi Gallery our American friends have been given this opportunity to appreciate the luster and colors of urushi, a material unique to Japan. It is wonderful to see lacquer art being honored in this way.

    - Mae Fumio

  • Mae Fumio, Squat Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkin, “Chrysanthemum Dew,” 2024 Zelkova and gold, 2 1/2 × 3 3/8 in. (6.3 × 8.5 cm)
     
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  • In a work made from urushi, the bounty of nature is married to the skill of the lacquer artist. Since...

    In a work made from urushi, the bounty of nature is married to the skill of the lacquer artist. Since no two pieces can be the same, lacquer art never ceases to fascinate us. When made with true dedication, lacquer art embodies the very spirit of urushi.

    - Komori Kunie

  • Komori Kunie, Small Box in Ajiro Weave with Tamenuri Urushi, 2022, Paulownia, hemp cloth, bamboo, urushi, 3 3/8 × 6 1/2 × 5 3/8 in. (8.5 × 16.6 × 13.5 cm)
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  • Onihira Keiji

    Onihira Keiji

  • Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Raised Maki-e, “Angel’s Ladder,” 2022, Dry lacquer and wood (base), South Sea abalone shell, white-lipped pearl oyster, gold, white gold, silver, pigment, 8 1/4 × 10 5 8 × 6 1/8 in. (20.7× 26.8× 15.3 cm)
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  • In Japanese, "Hiya" captures a moment of divine beauty—the beams of sunlight breaking through clouds, casting their radiant fingers upon the earth. Known as crepuscular rays, or “Angel’s Ladder,” this ethereal phenomenon inspires the design of the box. The top, lacquered in black Taka Maki-e, evokes cirrus clouds, while a single shaft of sunbeam splits the darkness.

     

    On the sides, golden Maki-e and iridescent shells depict sunbeams piercing through a dense sky. As the box turns, the weather shifts—from soft drizzle yields to the appearance of a rainbow, a transformation that mirrors nature's fleeting. Inside, the lid reveals a hazy moon, its light reflected in a dewdrop-covered spider web delicately portrayed on the interior.

     

    These motifs—sunbeams, rainbows, and dew-kissed webs—are revered across cultures for their spiritual resonance, and in Japanese tradition, they embody the divine presence within nature. The phrase 雲外蒼天 "Ungai-Souten," literally translates into “beyond the clouds, a blue sky,” conveys hope: that through effort, one can overcome challenges and find happiness. This exquisite box becomes a symbol of those hopeful moments—fleeting signs that, though challenges surround us, happiness lies just beyond.

    - Onihira Keiji

     
    • Yamagishi Kazuo, Box with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, “Young Maples,”, 2021
      Yamagishi Kazuo, Box with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, “Young Maples,”, 2021
    • Yamagishi Kazuo, Cylindrical Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, “Two Rivers,”, 2021
      Yamagishi Kazuo, Cylindrical Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkoku and Inlay, “Two Rivers,”, 2021
    • Komori Kunie, Small Box in Ajiro Weave with Tamenuri Urushi, 2022
      Komori Kunie, Small Box in Ajiro Weave with Tamenuri Urushi, 2022
    • Mae Fumio, Squat Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkin, “Chrysanthemum Dew”, 2024
      Mae Fumio, Squat Tea Caddy with Design in Chinkin, “Chrysanthemum Dew”, 2024
    • Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Raised Maki-e, “Soaring Aurora”, 2020
      Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Raised Maki-e, “Soaring Aurora”, 2020
    • Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Maki-e and Mother-of-Pearl, “Moonlit Road”, 2019
      Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Maki-e and Mother-of-Pearl, “Moonlit Road”, 2019
    • Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Raised Maki-e, “Angel’s Ladder”, 2022
      Onihira Keiji, Box with Design in Raised Maki-e, “Angel’s Ladder”, 2022
    • Onihira Keiji, Tray with Design in Maki-e, “Moonlit Road”, 2023
      Onihira Keiji, Tray with Design in Maki-e, “Moonlit Road”, 2023
    • Nakamuro Sōichirō, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Roppling”, 2024
      Nakamuro Sōichirō, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Roppling”, 2024
    • Okado Yūji, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Meadow”, 1994
      Okado Yūji, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Meadow”, 1994
    • Sakamoto Yasunori, Box with Design in Maki-e, “In the Glitter”, 2016
      Sakamoto Yasunori, Box with Design in Maki-e, “In the Glitter”, 2016
    • Ebata Toshio, Incense Container with Design in Kirigane and Raden, “Forbearance Grass (Davallia mariesii)” , 2021
      Ebata Toshio, Incense Container with Design in Kirigane and Raden, “Forbearance Grass (Davallia mariesii)” , 2021
    • Ebata Hiroyuki, Box with Design in Kirigane and Mother-of-Pearl, “Tortoiseshell Patterns, Flowers, and Stripes”, 2022
      Ebata Hiroyuki, Box with Design in Kirigane and Mother-of-Pearl, “Tortoiseshell Patterns, Flowers, and Stripes”, 2022
    • Mizushiri Kōta, Square Plate with Design in Chinkin, “Centennial Cherry Tree”, 2023
      Mizushiri Kōta, Square Plate with Design in Chinkin, “Centennial Cherry Tree”, 2023
    • Mizushiri Kota, Box with Design in Chinkin, "Centennial Cherry Tree" , 2022
      Mizushiri Kota, Box with Design in Chinkin, "Centennial Cherry Tree" , 2022
    • Mizushiri Satomi, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Waves” , 2018
      Mizushiri Satomi, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Waves” , 2018
    • Mizushiri Satomi, Box with Flower-Pattern Design in Maki-e, 2023
      Mizushiri Satomi, Box with Flower-Pattern Design in Maki-e, 2023
    • Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Deep Sea”, 2023
      Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Deep Sea”, 2023
    • Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin and Inlay, “Waves”, 2024
      Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin and Inlay, “Waves”, 2024
    • Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Floral Arabesque” , 2009
      Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Floral Arabesque” , 2009
    • Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Deep Sea”, 2023
      Mizushiri Seiho, Box with Design in Chinkin, “Deep Sea”, 2023
    • Mizushiri Seiho, Plate with Design in Chinkin and Inlay, “Cooling Breeze”, 2020
      Mizushiri Seiho, Plate with Design in Chinkin and Inlay, “Cooling Breeze”, 2020
    • Sakashita Yoshiharu, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Massed Cherry Blossom”, 2024
      Sakashita Yoshiharu, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Massed Cherry Blossom”, 2024
    • Shiota Junji, Kanshitsu Bowl, 2002
      Shiota Junji, Kanshitsu Bowl, 2002
    • Shiota Junji, Kanshitsu Tray, “Wave Pattern”, 2002
      Shiota Junji, Kanshitsu Tray, “Wave Pattern”, 2002
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Caddy for Leaf Tea, “Hazy Moonlit Night” , 2024
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Caddy for Leaf Tea, “Hazy Moonlit Night” , 2024
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Caddy for Leaf Tea, “Silver Fox”, 2015
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Caddy for Leaf Tea, “Silver Fox”, 2015
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Incense Container, “Chicken”, 2020
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Incense Container, “Chicken”, 2020
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Incense Container, “Chikubu Island”, 2017
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Incense Container, “Chikubu Island”, 2017
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Paper Box with Design in Maki-e, “Flower Circle”, 2019
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Paper Box with Design in Maki-e, “Flower Circle”, 2019
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Dignity”, 2023
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Dignity”, 2023
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Heron”, 2019
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Heron”, 2019
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Whose Sleeves?”, 2023
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Tea Caddy, “Whose Sleeves?”, 2023
    • Suzutani Toyoshi, Tiered Box with Design in Maki-e, “Rising Storm”, 2017
      Suzutani Toyoshi, Tiered Box with Design in Maki-e, “Rising Storm”, 2017
    • Urade Katsuhiko, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Scarlet Rosemallow”, 2021
      Urade Katsuhiko, Box with Design in Maki-e, “Scarlet Rosemallow”, 2021
    • Urade Katsuhiko, Kanshitsu Box with Design in Maki-e, “Early Summer”, 2017
      Urade Katsuhiko, Kanshitsu Box with Design in Maki-e, “Early Summer”, 2017
    • Urade Katsuhiko, Set of Plates with Flowing Water Design, 2018
      Urade Katsuhiko, Set of Plates with Flowing Water Design, 2018
    • Tachi Ichiro of Senshudo, Bonbonniere with Round Tray in Chinkin, 2024
      Tachi Ichiro of Senshudo, Bonbonniere with Round Tray in Chinkin, 2024
    • Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Incense Container, “Moon Palace”, 2022
      Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Incense Container, “Moon Palace”, 2022
    • Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Incense Container, “Nihonbashi”, 2023
      Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Incense Container, “Nihonbashi”, 2023
    • Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Kanshitsu Incense Container, “Persimmon”
      Chahira Issai of Senshudo, Kanshitsu Incense Container, “Persimmon”
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    The Spirit of Noto: Urushi Artists of Wajima & Waves of Resilience

    1 - 26 October 2024
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