Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, in 1980, Takeshi Igawa

井川健 lives and works in Saga City. He is Associate Professor at Saga University in Kyushu. Igawa received his M.F.A. and Ph.D. from Kyoto City University of Arts in 2005 and 2009 respectively. In 2017, he was awarded the 35th Kyoto Cultural Award and received the Grand Prize at the 3rd Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa. Igawa was shortlisted for the 2017 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, with his work included in the accompanying exhibitions in Madrid, New York and Tokyo. His works have been exhibited in Hong Kong, including at Fine Art Asia since 2020. In November 2022, The Gallery by SOIL presented his solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

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Igawa explores beauty through the relationship between line, surface and volume, often contrasting the depth of black with the lustrous qualities of lacquer. His signature works employ the kanshitsu technique, in which layers of lacquer are applied over a fabric-based form, allowing for exceptional freedom in shaping and expression. By constructing a core from palm stalks, wood chips and raw lacquer, then reinforcing it with hemp cloth, Igawa creates dynamic, flowing forms that evoke both the physical presence and spiritual essence of nature.