Panel Discussion

Silver Prize Winners (two works)(2/2)

NATSUME(MC) ─────Next, the Silver Prize in the Design category:ASA by Nicolas PINON, Dimitry HLINKA & Kenji TOKI. Mr KAWAKAMI, we look forward to hearing your comments.

KAWAKAMI ───── This was a fascinating entry in the Design category. The competition was quite fierce, but after much discussion, it was awarded the Silver Prize. One of the aims of this exhibition is to revitalize design through international exchange, and I believe this work is a product of such an exchange already in practice.

The work is a stool. The name ASA likely refers toasa (hemp cloth). While the form is very orthodox for a stool, there is a sense of novelty in the materials combined with the lacquer. In recent years, young artists have been exploring various substrates for lacquer, ranging from polystyrene to thin plastics cut with CNC routers. In this work, they have used honeycomb. Honeycomb is generally a high-strength material, ranging from paper and aluminum to aramid versions. While I do not know which type was used here, a honeycomb core becomes extremely strong when sandwiched between panels. Creating curved forms with it can be technically difficult, but here, the curved sections actually arch backwards. It is not a simple C-shape. While being made of thin materials, it has a lightness achieved through structural ingenuity, which feels remarkably fresh. The surface is finished in traditional red and black lacquer, with both roiro-shiage (polishing the dried lacquer to a flawless high gloss) and nuri-tate (leaving the final coat to dry without polishing) finishes. The lightness is visually apparent, but it is truly surprising when one actually holds it. This has been successfully established as a sculptural form. One might worry that the curved sections would wobble, but as they are supported by the honeycomb, there are no structural issues.

Furthermore, they are creating a new world of design through this collaboration. Traditionally, a C-shape would be made by joining straight timber or using molded plywood. This work moves beyond that by bending a honeycomb core, and merging it with new technology. I understand this piece was acquired by the Mobilier National (the French national furniture authority) this year. We are seeing the fruits of such exchange, which feels like a new movement, and I believe it is necessary to recognize such efforts with an award in the Design category.

While molds forkanshitsu (dry lacquer) used to be plaster or clay, young artists today are using all sorts of materials. This piece was a fresh and interesting example of the dialogue between modern industrial products and the natural life of lacquer, a bridge between the new and the old.

NATSUME(MC) ───── Thank you, Mr KAWAKAMI.