Shimpei Matsuzaki
Loosely translated, “urushi” means Japanese lacquer, but in fact urushi is distinct from other kinds of lacquer. Urushi itself is a natural sap that comes from a particular type of tree that grows in East Asia, which in Japanese we call the “urushi no ki,” or “the urushi tree.”
I use traditional urushi materials and techniques to make works of art.
To make an object using urushi, I start with a wooden body, which is a piece of wood that I carve to the basic shape, for example a box or a bowl.
Then, I paint this wood with many coats of urushi. These numerous layers of urushi will make the body of the piece strong. I apply a coat of urushi, I let it harden, then I polish the surface. I repeat this process many times until I have as many layers as needed.
Urushi requires a humid environment to cure and harden properly. For that reason, after I apply each layer of urushi, I put the piece on a shelf in my bathroom. The urushi absorbs a little of the moisture so it can harden properly without drying out.
A carefuly and properly made piece of urushi is durable enough that is can be used by several generations in a family.
I use and teach various techniques for decorating urushi, for example with pieces of shell and other materials.
Japan is lucky to have four distinct seasons, and I like to express these in my urushi art. On the surfaces of my urushi pieces, I create pictures of the natural landscape—flower, trees, leaves, oceans, rivers, mountains, wind….
My goal is to portray these using beautiful colors. One ideal material for this is “mother-of-pearl,” which is made from thin pieces of shellfish shell. The color tones from these shell fragments are a perfect match for urushi.
The process for using mother-of-pearl is very intricate and time-consuming. First I must shave the shell and polish it very thinly, usually using a machine tool. Then I cut the shell into pieces and set these into the urushi surface to make my pattern. I coat them with more urushi, let it harden, then polish the surface. I repeat this process—coating, hardening, and polishing—until the surface and the picture are perfect.
This traditional method is very time consuming, but I think it makes a very nice and beautiful end result!
Works
-
Box with design in irogai and makie. “Lemon tree”Box with design in irogai and makie. “Lemon tree” Shimpei Matsuzaki-
CategoriesLacquerware
-
-
-
-
-
-
Box with design in irogai and makie. “Japanese silverleaf”Box with design in irogai and makie. “Japanese silverleaf” Shimpei Matsuzaki-
CategoriesLacquerware
-
TechniquesMaki-e
-
-
Box for shikishi with irogai. “Summer breeze”Box for shikishi with irogai. “Summer breeze” Shimpei Matsuzaki ¥918,000(Tax included)-
CategoriesLacquerware
-
TechniquesMaki-e
-
Information
-
CategoriesLacquerware
-
Honors and AffiliationFull member, Japan Kogei Association
Career
-
1981Born in Tokyo
-
2005Graduated from the Department of Crafts (Urushi-Art) in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
-
2007Completed his Master’s Degree in Urushi-Art at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
Joined Kiriya Tanaka Inc. as a kiri wood chest of drawers factory production staff member (Up until 2009) -
2009Educational research assistant at the Urushi-Art Laboratory, Tokyo University of the Arts (Up until 2012)
-
20112nd Cross-straits Creative Tea Utensils Design Exhibition (Wuyi Shan, Fujian Province, China)
Engaged in the restoration works of Kirikane designs on a glass vessel, a Byodoin Phoenix Hall artefact -
2012Part-time lecturer at the Urushi-Art Laboratory, Tokyo University of the Arts
Urushi Art – History and the Future (The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts) -
20132013 Hubei International Triennial of Lacquer Art (Hubei Province, China)
International Lacquer Art Exhibition (Daegu, South Korea)
Taiwan-Japan Lacquer Exchange Exhibition – The Past, Present and Future Exhibition (The University Art Museum Chinretsukan Gallery, Tokyo University of the Arts, )
From Crafts to Kogei – In Commemoration of the 60th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition (Crafts Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) -
2015Solo exhibition “The color”(Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Salon)
-
2017[Decorative but Calm/by Japanese Artists with modern craftsmanship] (Daiwa Foundation Japan House Gallery, London)
Award
-
2004Received the Harada Award (Tokyo University of the Arts Harada Bursary)
-
2009Received the Yamatane Museum of Art Award at the 49th Exhibition of East Japan Traditional “Kogei”
-
2010Received the Japan Kogei Association Incentive Award at the 57th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
Received the Excellence Award at the 2010 Chinese Copyright Creativity – International Lacquer Arts Invitational Exhibition in Fuzhou (Fujian Province, China) -
2013Received the Incentive Award at the 53rd Exhibition of East Japan Traditional “Kogei”
-
2015Nezu Museum Director Award, 49th Exhibition of East Japan Traditional Art Crafts
- Present (2014)
Full member, Japan Kogei Association
Part-time lecturer at the Urushi-Art Laboratory, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
Director, Japan Association for Urushi Cultural Heritage