Natural Fiber Lacquer

A Japanese red & black lacquer bowl from the early 20th century. Its frame is crafted from woven rattan fibres and covered in multiple layers of lac...

Early 20th century large Burmese lacquered bamboo tray handcrafted red Thai lacquered rattan footed stand. This Thai features a drum shape circular tray top sitting above a body rhythmically accented with spindle motifs, the ensemble resting on a confirming plinth. Burmese (Myanmar) lacquer ware has a long tradition dating back to the 13th century. Lacquer in Burma is called “Thitsi” meaning the sap of a Thitsi Tree (Melanhorrea Usitata). Typically, bamboo and wood are used as a frame or base in making lacquer work. This table tray stand called a “Dang lan”. This stand is constructed with woven bamboo that is then applied with many layers of lacquer. Black lacquered frame covered with red lacquer. A large high quality handcrafted wooden elevated tray...

Japanese Lacquer Rhino Sculpture by Someya Satoshi (1983-). A hand-molded lacquer sculpture that depicts a fantasy beast "Rhino". The artist uses century-old traditional techniques and symbols but with an innovative contemporary energy that borders mysticism, shamanism and surrealism. Found objects were equally treated as part of the meticulous designs as the elaborate Maki-e and shell inlays. According to the press of Honolulu Museum of Art: "Someya Satoshi has been described as “one of the most significant contemporary lacquer artists working in Japan today.” (Japan Times, 12 Dec. 2013) His work combines objects of daily use, such as bathing buckets, serving trays, and soup bowls, with a wide array of natural materials, including animal bones, horns and antlers, sand, stones, leaves and branches. In the process, he implements a range of traditional lacquer methods passed down from pre-modern eras, such as the kanshitsu or “dry lacquer” technique, the origins of which date to Japan’s Nara period (710–784). After creating his forms, he embellishes them with designs inspired by calligraphy, traditional Japanese textile patterns, and even contemporary manga or comic books. His work defies ordinary definitions of lacquer art and successfully challenges the perceived limits of this extremely difficult and, in some ways, most conservative of traditional Japanese art forms". His work was exhibited in US such as Honolulu Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Morikami Museum etc. For a complete resume of the artist, see the artist's page in Imura Art Gallery. Reference: For a very similar Bull Sculpture see Hard Bodies Contemporary Japanese Lacquer...