Duality

Igawa uses the most traditional of Japanese craft materials, but he is one of the most closely watched young artist in the field of contemporary lacquer art due to his daring and expressive sculptures. 

“Reflections and the play of light and shadow on the surfaces always change the appearance of a piece. To create the most beautiful and pleasing forms, the lines are critical. The edges are the first decisions that I must make when I start carving the urethane form. MeanwhiIe, I need to imagine the curve of all the lines of a form when it is completed. If the lines and the surfaces harmonize perfectly, I feel that I have fully expressed the beauty of the lacquer as a material.”

 

Courtesy of Sokyo Gallery/Photo by Yuji Imamura