Bronze Bowl by Inoue Junkei, Japan late 20th century (sold)
Bronze Bowl by Inoue Junkei, Japan late 20th century (sold)
Japanese artists, Inoue Junkei’s sculptural pieces embody a highly articulated use of colour and form. His use of bronze creates objects that are charged, expressive, and dramatic. He received many local and national prizes already during his lifetime.
The artist kept the forms of his creations simple with minimal embellishment, staying true to the original texture and form of the material. This is the case here as well, as this bowl has a simple, but distinctive shape with two half-moon shaped indentations across each other. Like most of his creations, this bowl was also created with the use of the so-called Yamagata casting. In the middle of the Heian era (794-1185), a number of battles took place in Yamagata in an effort to quell various uprisings. Armies included metal casters who discovered that the sand in the city’s river and the soil were ideal for casting. Some of these casters later settled in the area and became the founders of the Yamagata metal casting tradition. During the casting process, firstly the overall design is decided, then the cast that will form the outer shape is made from local materials, including sand and pebbles. Japanese washi paper is used to make a stencil of the design, which is drawn onto the cast and carved. Next, the inner cast is set within the outer cast, and molten iron is poured inside. Finally, after the iron has set, the cast is opened, the metal is removed, and the surface is tempered. In a wabi sabi manner, the bowl is not aiming for perfection, instead, it relies on its textured surface with differences in colour and lineament.
Yamagata Prefecture in Japan has a history of about 900 years and its casting tradition is designated as one of the national traditional crafts. This bowl by the Japanese casting artist, Inoue Junkei (born c. 1930), is a beautiful example of his work, with his seal stamped on its base.
SOLD
Condition:
In good vintage condition. Some marks are present.
Dimensions:
11.81 in W x 6.3 in D x 3.15 in H
30 cm W x 16 cm D x 8 cm H
Domingos Tótora’s large disco wall sculpture, “Frisos”, is an impressive piece that immediately catches the eye. This textured piece is made of recycled and painted cardboard that Tótora created through his unique technique.
Domingos Tótora creates objects and sculptures where beauty is inseparable from function, lifting common everyday objects and injecting them with the spirit of Minas Gerais, the beautiful mountainous region he grew up in. Although Tótora’s team follows his designs closely, his creations are made by hand and inherently open to little imperfections and differences, purposely adding to the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic of the work.
Made upon order.
SOLD
Condition:
New.
Dimensions:
51.19 in Ø x 2.76 in D
130 cm Ø x 7 cm D
Literature:
Domingos Tótora - Maria Sonia Madureira de Pinho, Brazil 2013, unpaginated
About the designer:
Domingos Tótora (1960-) is a contemporary Brazilian designer whose work falls between art and design. Born and raised in the mountainous region of Maria da Fé, nature is an essential part of Tótora’s aesthetic. Being true to nature means that imperfections are a welcome part of Tótora’s designs, embracing asymmetry and unevenness in the spirit of wabi-sabi.
Following his studies in São Paulo, Tótora found inspiration on the streets in the form of discarded cardboards. He created a process in which cardboard can be recycled by breaking it down to small pieces, transforming it to cellulose plaster. With the addition of water, glue and natural pigments, the cardboard can be shaped into new forms. Through this sustainable process, waste cardboards are turned into a wood-like material. Tótora and his small team believe sustainability happens through actions and not words.
His studio, Domingos Totora Estúdio de Artes Design, was founded in 2005 in his hometown, Maria da Fé. The beauty of his work manifests itself in its philosophy of creation and respect for the environment. The production process of Tótora’s designs is 100% manual and the cardboard he uses is fully recycled. Domingos Tótora is a true mixture of artist, designer, and craftsman. In recent years, the originality and elegance of his creations have been recognized in several exhibitions. ~H.