Lacquer is a “functional material” which has been used as paint and adhesive. Lacquerware can usually be imagined as a bowl, a carved wooden body painted with lacquer. In former times the lacquer paint covered various materials such as paper, bamboo and cloth for effective function. In this exhibition we re-examine the fundamental relationship “Lacquer + Material”. In order to display the diversity of lacquer, the exhibits include local “bowls” which reflect regional character and Negoro-ware in which aged deterioration is considered as a positive aesthetic effect.
Visualization of Weathered Beauty
One of the pinnacles of Japanese lacquer tradition is luxurious, intricate makie. Negoro has positioned itself as a complete opposite of makie. In the simple, concise painting method of negoro, red lacquer is applied on a black-lacquered base. Negoro lacquerware has its origins in the tableware used by the monks at the Negoroji temple, which was prosperous in the Kamakura to Muromachi periods. The foundation of the design line is all based on daily-use items, such as tables, trays, plates, and bowls. Through long usage, the red lacquer wears down to the point at which the black under-surface is revealed. The weathered look has been metaphorically translated to the beauty of things in decay. In other words, it is not through the beauty of formation, but rather through the attractive lure of regression that the beauty of negoro has been admired. The visualization of wabi has been established in the tea-ceremony room and its garden and through raku tea bowls. Here we add negoro as one of the items that visualize wabi.
Negoro lacquerware Three pairs of trays | Muromachi period
Negoro lacquerware Square tray | Muromachi period
Negoro lacquerware Broad-shouldered liquor bottle | Muromachi period
Local Lacquered Bowls at a Glance
From north to south there are so many local lacquerware traditions in Japan. From place to place the methods are so different in shaping wooden bases, painting, and establishing colours. Nevertheless, they all have characteristic figures which have become sophisticated through actual usage. In order to provide an overview of the local identities of these producing centres, we have assembled “bowls” from different regions. The locations include, starting from the north: Tsugaru of Aomori, Kawatsura of Akita, Jōbōji of Iwate, Aizu of Fukushima, Kiso of Nagano, Wajima and Tamanaka of Ishikawa, Echizen of Fukui, Negoro of Wakayama, and Kagawa of Kagawa.
Of course lacquer has been used in various craftworks, but if you see it from the viewpoint of “soup bowls”, which are so close to our daily life, we can feel the immediate sense of the vast possibilities of lacquer.
Lacquer + Material = Funcrion
When we consider lacquerware, we think of high-end craftworks which are beautiful, yet too fragile. However, lacquer has been applied to various kinds of material to demonstrate effective functions. In this exhibition, we first put the aesthetics aside. We try out some experiments from the viewpoint of function in order to recapture the essence of lacquer.
Pieces of cloth can be soaked in lacquer and applied to a wooden surface to improve its touch. Lacquer can add waterproof, anti-bacterial, anti-fouling, and insulating functions to materials. In kintsugi the lacquer displays its high ability to adhere one thing to another. In our exhibition, The Future of Japanese Tradition, we examine the application of lacquer to various materials, such as metal, wood, paper, glass, resin, leather, and soil. This experimental part is an attempt to deepen our understanding of lacquer and pursue its possibilities. Supervised by Makoto Koizumi.
Iron + Lacquer = Sensation
Wood + Lacquer = Antibacterial
Wood + Lacquer = Antibacterial
Resin + Lacquer = New creation
Brass + Lacquer = Insulation
Wood lamella + Lacquer = Durability
Cloth + Lacquer = Solidification
Bamboo + Lacquer = Flexibility
Stone + Lacquer = Improved texture
Glass + Lacquer = Adhesive
Leather + Lacquer = Anti-fouling
Soil + Lacquer = Hardening