Saya Yamagishi ✿ Talismanic chintz-Our first laurel of 2024 goes to a Japanese lacquer artist who is enchanted by the arabesque patterns of medieval manuscripts.
Genta HAYASHI ✿ Jūbako for the time of plum blossom-Our March laurel is awarded to Genta HAYASHI from Osaka for a beautifully made but complex lacquer container that celebrates the coming of spring and plum blossoms.
The box: A magic object of objects-Beginning with the Japanese animation Spirited Away, Bic Tieu traces her fascination for the magic of the box in Japanese craft and discovers how it connects humans and nature.
Following the Lacquer God-Dave van Gompel writes about the extraordinary commitment required to master lacquer, and why it has a new-found relevance today.
Hanoia ✿ Vietnamese history in lacquer-Our December laurel goes to Hanoia and Tran Nu Yen Khe for an object that uses the medium of lacquer poignantly to tell a story of deep history.
The re-awakening of lacquer in China today 🇨🇳-Liu Huan reflects personally on the enduring value of lacquer in Chinese culture and project to revive its spirit for modern consumers.
Why a Japanese lacquer master sought a surfing legend-Lacquer is a gift of the ancients that is largely forgotten today. Sachiko Matsuyama is convinced of its value not just for its redolent surface but also as a bond between people and nature. She finds an inspiring future for lacquer in the work of Takuya Tsutsumi, in partnership with an Australian surfboard maker.
Yoo Pil-mu, the brush master artisan-In January, Jeungpyeong-gun’s first Chungcheongbuk-do Intangible Cultural Property was recognized. This was Yoo Pil-mu, the brush master artisan, who has been maintaining the tradition of Korean brush alone for the past 40 years, was named as the first.
Japan matters in Sydney: An exhibition of material design-Shifts in Japanese Materiality is an exhibition of contemporary works by experimental Japanese and Australian designers, curated by Bic Tieu at Sydney's Japan Foundation Gallery,