"Fugaku" Maki-e
There is a Ukiyo-e masterpiece called the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
Katsushika Hokusai, an Edo-period ukiyo-e artist, drew Mt. Fuji and its scenery
What would happen if I were to paint a modern version?
This curiosity drove me to run my brush
“Roppongi Hills”
When painting the modern world, buildings often appear
Buildings are the modern structures but difficult to express with maki-e
Because no one has ever painted them before
When I worked on “Roppongi Hills”, it was a tough job
I left most of the windows “unpainted” without lacquer
By doing this, I was able to create a three-dimensional impression of the Hills seen from a distance
“South Wind, Clear Sky (Gaifu Kaisei)”
In this work, to express the wildness of the peak of Mt. Fuji, I pasted quail eggs one by one
The original color of urushi lacquer is almost brown, so even if the white pigment is added, it is not possible to make a perfect white snow peak with lacquer
This is why the eggshell technique has been used for centuries
The work of lacquer has really developed together with nature
“Luminous Fuji”
In this work, I used a shell called “luminous shell” for the peak
Surprisingly, this shell is a natural color and has not been colored at all
It is a mysterious material that changes its color depending on the angle
In order to express the strength and grandeur of Fuji,
I have arranged large and small shells and placed them in a balanced manner