"Heron on a Lily Pond" Maki-e Tea Caddy

Wakamiya has developed an interest in creating imitation pieces, such as East Asian historical objects, which are bronze or ceramic and use lacquer techniques to make the exact replicas. His studio Hikoju Makie in Wajima, Japan, creates these “imitations” with such remarkable exactness that the lacquerwares fools onlookers. Much more than creating decorative pieces, the lacquerwares have interesting sculptural forms and superbly subtle colours that make three-dimensional replica artefacts unique.