In its 9th exhibition, the Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition 2012 received 151 entries from 7 nations and regions. At the Preliminary Assessment held on August 31st 2011, 78 works were selected. For the exhibition, 75 works were sent to the Executive Office. At the Final Assessment held on November 10th 2011, 14 award winners were selected.
The following day a Round Table Discussion was held. The Executive Committee discussed the results of the Final Assessment and members of the Final Assessment Panel gave their comments on the prize winners. In addition, panelists discussed their thoughts on the future of Urushi art. We would like to introduce the outline of that discussion.

Opening Comments and Introduction of the Panelists

Boda:(MC) Good morning ladies and gentlemen. We would like to begin the Special Symposium for the Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition 2012. I am Kazuo Boda, the Deputy Chairperson of the Executive Committee of this exhibition and Managing Director of the Design Center Ishikawa. I hope this symposium serves as an opportunity to exchange your opinions and comments on the exhibition. I would like to thank the jury members for traveling from their home countries to Ishikawa and conducting the difficult task of selecting the award winners from a very competitive field. We are happy to welcome such world renowned panelists. I hope the audience enjoys this rare opportunity of listening to their stimulating discussions and thought-provoking opinions. Please feel free to ask questions and make comments at the end of the discussion. I would now like to introduce all the panelists who took part in selecting the award winners.
First, Professor Nagatoshi Ohnishi is an Urushi artist and Professor Emeritus of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. The Final Assessment Panel elected him as Chairperson.
Next, Mr. Fumio Mae, as you have already known, is a Living Important Intangible Cultural Asset and an Urushi artist in the field of the Chinkin carving technique. Next, Mr. Kenji Ekuan is one of the most renowned industrial designers in Japan.
Next, Mr. Kwon Sang-Oh, is a Professor of the Department of Industrial Craft of the College of Art at Silla University and the Director of the Lacquer Craft Research Center at Silla University.
Next, Mr. Shinichi Yamamura is a Design Consultant and the President of Cobo Design Co., Ltd.
Next, Mr. Ryoichi Komatsu is the Director of Kanazawa Utatsuyama Craft Workshop Center and Deputy Chairperson of The Design Center Ishikawa.

The History of the Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition

Boda(MC) : I would like to briefly discuss the history of this exhibition and its current goals. This exhibition began in 1989 and was originally known as “The National Exhibition of Urushi Ware.” It was opened to the public and accepted world-wide entries. This year, we celebrate the exhibition’s 9th anniversary.
We are constantly pursuing new prospects of Urushi ware from the perspective of design and functionality in our everyday life. We have and will continue to welcome participation from both home and abroad. Our hope for this exhibition is to help revitalize Urushi-related industries and promote international exchanges in the field of Urushi.
In January 2011, we welcomed entries from all over the world to the exhibition with the theme of “The Future of Urushi Ware”. 151 works were submitted from 7 nations and regions. A Preliminary Assessment was held on August 31st 2011 by a jury of panelists.The panel members included: Nagatoshi Ohnishi, Ryoichi Komatsu, Kwon Song-Oh, and Fumio Mae. In the Preliminary Assessment, panel members conducted a thorough review of each applicant’s slide. After thoughtful consideration and thorough discussion of each applicant’s work, 78 works from these 7 nations and regions were then selected. For the Final Assessment, only 75 works were sent to the Executive Office.
At the Final Assessment jury members selected the award winners. This was an incredibly difficult process; however after much deliberation they finally posted their results. The Grand Prize, Gold Prize and Silver Prize winners are displayed in the center of the room. We would now like to begin the symposium. Professor Nagatoshi Ohnishi will be today’s moderator.

Introduction

Ohnishi : Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Round Table Discussion. Yesterday we completed the Final Assessment of the exhibition. It was a challenging task for panel members to select each prize winner. The prize winners you see selected today are the results of our panelists’ long and thoughtful deliberations. Unfortunately, due to the tragic events that occurred on March 11th, the number of applicants from Europe this year decreased. Though we had received many works from France in the past, we received zero applicants this year. We take pride in the fact that this is an international competition, and I apologize for the lack of participation from our international competitors.
Urban areas have developed economically and artistically and one can see this change reflected in their Urushi works. This year, we received many exceptional works from China. In the past, it was proved difficult for Chinese artists to submit their works to foreign competitions. Due to recent change in policies, Chinese artists have now been allowed to send their works overseas.
There has always been a world-wide interest in the history of Urushi and its origins. Subsequently, there have been many debates on whether Urushi originated in China or in Japan.
An archeological discovery in Fukui prefecture at the excavation site, Torihama shell-mound, uncovered an Urushi branch that was dated 12,600 years old. This discovery confirms that long ago, Urushi was incorporated into their everyday lives. Another discovery in Japan is in Hokkaido at the Kakinoshima Ruins. Urushi ware dating back to 9,000 years ago was recovered. Archaeological excavations in China have been directed in many places however, nothing older than 9,000 years has been found. The Hemudu Ruins located in China dates Urushi back to 7,000 years ago.
This evidence does not prove that Japanese Urushi ware is older than Chinese Urushi ware. Since China embodies a large mass of land, we may never know when archaeologists will discover older Urushi ware. When we discuss the origins of Urushi, we must consider that it has roots stemming from the whole of Asia.
Archaeological societies in Japan have also discussed the origins of Urushi. This debate is trivial. All of Asia should be considered the source of Urushi’s foundations. In discussing Urushi art, one must not only look at the past and present, but also consider its future. In order to have a longlasting appreciation for Urushi ware, I believe one should not focus on the current trends of Urushi. The panelists all share a common appreciation for the unique aesthetic Urushi ware possesses and carried this sentiment into their final evaluations. In the Preliminary Assessment, judgments were based on slides. This proved to be incredibly difficult and took a considerable amount of time to select works that would be judged in the Final Assessment. In their final evaluation, panelists selected the Grand Prize and Gold Prize Winners. Two works were awarded the Silver Prize and four works were selected as Honorable Mention Winners. In addition, each judge awarded a work their own Prize.
The Grand Prize winner, Qi Xu, is a young woman from China. Her work looks simple yet it holds a beautiful poetic meaning. Its form is delicate and flexible. The title of this work is, LOVE. It expresses the physical separation between a man and a woman. Yet despite this separation they are able to stay spiritually connected. Artistic work must not only possess functionality and technique but it must also possess meaning. Many of the jurors agreed that this point was incredibly important.
We are excited for the future of Urushi artists in China. This work had some Japanese influence and I foresee Chinese artists becoming Japan’s competitors in Urushi art. Now, I would like to introduce Mr. Ekuan who has been a jury member since this exhibition’s inception. Mr. Ekuan, what are your thoughts on this year’s exhibition?

Ekuan : I have wanted to find one word that could encapsulate the essence of Urushi. For important occasions, I find myself using lacquer ware when entertaining guests from abroad. I also like to give Urushi ware as gifts when I travel overseas. I wonder why I often refer to Urushi ware for special occasions. I realize I do this because it is in fact, a good product. Since I was young, I have always tried to understand what makes Urushi so special.
As you may know, Urushi itself is called, “japan.” Since its defeat in the Second World War, Japan has improved technologically becoming one of the top countries in the world for producing precision machines, cameras, and automobiles. I have thought about other high quality products produced by Japan and I have long searched for a Japanese product that I could take pride in. My thoughts soon turned to Urushi ware. When you encounter beautiful Urushi works such as trays, bowls, and writing boxes, you feel a sense of rejuvenation. Although Urushi ware is functional and convenient, I do not think we use it enough in our daily lives.
Japanese industrial products such as PCs and calculators are easy to use because they are small and efficient to carry. We can be proud of the fact they are used all over the world, however they do not give us that same feeling one gets from Urushi ware. In your lifetime, you seldom encounter artwork that will bring you a sense of spiritual calm. I find Urushi and Urushi ware in particular to have this effect. Japan should embrace Urushi ware as its national treasure. Look at the works displayed in the center. I am sure you will agree with me that these works have the power to heal our spirit and soothe our mind.
When penicillin was discovered, many people in the world were surprised that it had the power to cure many serious diseases. I am sure Urushi ware has the same power to heal people. As penicillin is used to cure diseases, Urushi ware should be used to heal the human mind.
Shinran, the Japanese monk and founder of Shin Buddhism, believed that both good and bad persons can be saved. I urge you to search for something in your life that will heal and soothe you spiritually and mentally. This type of healing cannot be found in products such as cameras. Since early times, Japan has suffered from natural disasters. In order to survive and endure such difficult times, we had to find our inner peace. I urge you to remember that Urushi ware has the power to calm the human body and mind.