Kentaro Izumi and Kazuhiro Ishii Two-Person Exhibition - Eggshells and Shimmering Colors -
Izumi Kentaro & Ishii Kazuhiro two-person art exhibition -Eggshell & Sparkling ware-
| Exhibition period Schedule |
February 23, 2021 (Tue) – March 1 (Mon) February 23 - March 1, 2021 |
| Gallery opening hours Opening Hours | From 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (until 5:00 PM on the final day, March 1st) Open every day during the exhibition period. Open daily 11 am to 7 pm except for March 1, when the gallery will close at 5 pm. |
| Exhibiting artist Artist | Izumi Kentaro Ishii Kazuhiro |
| Introduction Introduction |
Tea utensils are essential for the Japanese tea ceremony, used to hold matcha powder. This time, we'd like to introduce two people who create unique tea utensils. Izumi-san, who creates lacquerware such as eggshell lacquerware in Niigata, and Ishii-san, who creates ceramic works called "Kousai" in Fukuyama.
My connection with Ms. Izumi came about through an introduction from Mr. Kurimoto, the owner of a gallery in Nagaoka whom I deeply respect. I heard that this lacquer artist does very meticulous and captivating work, and when I saw their stylish tea set with a checkered pattern and eggshell glaze, I fell in love with it at first sight. Eggshell lacquerware is a technique that involves finely crushing eggshells and then hardening them with lacquer, a painstaking process that the artist is unwilling to shy away from. Its modern appearance exudes dignity and a dignified presence.
I've never actually met Mr. Ishii in person, but he's a ceramic artist I've long admired. I was impressed by how she repeatedly won awards and had her work selected for exhibitions at prestigious open-call exhibitions for tea ceremony ceramics, such as the "Contemporary Tea Ceremony Ceramics Exhibition" in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, and the "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" at the Tabe Museum of Art in Matsue. Its unique design, based on the motif of a circle, and its dazzling, shimmering texture, which we've named "Kousai," make it a truly appealing piece, even as a tea ceremony utensil.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have drifted away from my daily routine of engaging with the tea ceremony. I plan to enjoy a cup of tea using two tea sets with a refined, tea-like aesthetic, and then once again savor the tea ceremony. This is the first joint exhibition in Japan featuring two artists with different materials and locations. Of course, we will also be unveiling many new works other than tea utensils, so we hope you will take a look.
Shop owner Takashi Yasuda |
| Biography Biography | Kentaro Izumi Izumi Kentaro Born in Niigata in 1972. Graduated from the Woodworking Department of Nagano Prefectural Agematsu Technical School in 2006, and has continued to create works in Niigata ever since. 2014 Kokuten Exhibition, Crafts Division, Encouragement Award Solo exhibition at Gallery Kurimoto (Nagaoka) in 2016. 2017 Kokuten Exhibition, Crafts Division, Newcomer Award Kazuhiro Ishii Ishii Kazuhiro Born in Hiroshima in 1977. 2015 Contemporary Tea Ceremony Pottery Exhibition: TOKI Oribe Excellence Award 2018: Grand Prize, "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" / Tabe Museum 2019: Encouragement Award at the "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" / Selected for the Tabe Museum and the Japan Ceramics Exhibition. 2020: Encouragement Award at the "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" / Tabe Museum |
| Artist in the gallery day Date Artist in Gallery | Kentaro Izumi will be present at the gallery on February 23rd (Tue) and 24th (Wed). Kazuhiro Ishii is scheduled to be at the gallery every day during the exhibition period. |
| Exhibited works Exhibited Works | Kentaro Izumi: Tea utensils, flat tea caddy, medium tea caddy, snow blister, tea scoop, tea box, tea whisk holder, tea cloth holder, incense box, hanging flower vase, rimmed flower tray, crescent moon plate, sweet knife, cup, sake pitcher, chopstick rest, paperweight Ishii Kazuhiro: Tea utensils, incense boxes, flower vases, single-flower vases, water containers, waste water bowls, tea whisks, food boxes, sake cups, plates, small plates, lidded containers |
| DM Direct Mail | This exhibitionDMSee（PDF） |
| notice Notice | ■Possibility of changes to the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic We regret to inform you that, given the current COVID-19 situation, if we are asked to further restrict business operations, we may have to change the exhibition period and hours, or in the worst-case scenario, hold the exhibition online only. We would appreciate your understanding. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we will be posting the latest information on this website, so we would appreciate it if you would check it regularly. ■ Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 To ensure that all visitors can enjoy their time at our gallery with greater peace of mind, we are implementing the following measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. 1. A request to our valued customers We have placed alcohol-based hand sanitizer at the entrance of our gallery and the building. We kindly ask that you disinfect your hands upon arrival. Please wear a mask when you go out. Currently, if you have a fever or are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you refrain from visiting the gallery. If you have visited a doctor or taken medication for fever or a cold within the past two weeks, or if you have traveled abroad, we kindly ask that you refrain from visiting the gallery. To help reduce crowding in the store, we kindly ask that you visit in small groups whenever possible. We regret to inform you that, for the time being, we will be suspending the tea service, including gyokuro tea, which we previously offered to our customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. What our gallery is working on We installed a high-performance ventilation system, "Lossnay" (manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric), in our gallery on January 6, 2021. This new, powerful ventilation system ensures that all the air in our gallery is replaced every 15 to 20 minutes. In addition, the entrance door is kept open at all times to ensure even better ventilation. We will further strengthen our daily cleaning procedures. We regularly disinfect with alcohol on frequently touched surfaces such as elevator buttons, tables and chairs, entrance door and toilet handles, brushes and pens, even during business hours. If our gallery becomes crowded with many visitors and we determine that it is in a state of "three Cs" (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings), we may ask you to limit entry to our gallery. Our gallery staff will wear masks, thoroughly monitor their temperature and health, and strive to provide excellent customer service. On January 20, 2021, all staff members underwent PCR testing (at Nishitan Clinic), and all tested negative. We will continue to conduct PCR tests regularly. We sincerely look forward to your visit to our gallery. |
| Main exhibited works Main Exhibited Works |
|
No.1
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Maple eggshell inlaid octagonal tea set [Sold] |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 6.0 × H 8.2 (㎝) |
No.2
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel [Sold] |
| price | 50,000 yen (excluding tax) (55,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 7.2 × H 7.4 (㎝) |
No.3
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Mother-of-pearl inlaid eggshell inlay |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 5.6 × H 8.6 (㎝) |
No.4
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel |
| price | 60,000 yen (excluding tax) (66,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 5.9 × H 9.3 (㎝) |
No.5
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Eggshell hexagonal tea set |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box. |
| size | Φ 6.5 × H 7.8 (㎝) |
No.6
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Splendid Shell Vessel [Sold] |
| price | 45,000 yen (excluding tax) (49,500 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | W 8.5 × D 6.5 × H 4.2 (㎝) |
No.7
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Tameruri Ichimatsu Pattern Eggshell Snowflake |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box. |
| size | Φ 6.7 × H 6.5 (㎝) |
No.8
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel |
| price | 120,000 yen (excluding tax) (132,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 14.5 × H 28.5 (㎝) |
No.9
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Zelkova wood eggshell inlaid decagonal box |
| box | With paper box |
| size | Φ 17.6 × H 6.5 (㎝) |
No.10
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel |
| price | 100,000 yen (excluding tax) (110,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 15.8 × H 17.0 (㎝) |
No.11
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Cherry blossom eggshell inlaid octagonal tea set |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 6.0 × H 8.0 (㎝) |
No.12
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel |
| price | 45,000 yen (excluding tax) (49,500 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 16.0 × H 7.0 (㎝) |
No.13
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | eggshell tea box |
| box | No box |
| size | W 13.0 × D 18.2 × H 12.5 (㎝) |
No.14
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel [Sold] |
| price | 50,000 yen (excluding tax) (55,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 6.6 × H 8.6 (㎝) |
No.15
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Eggshell jujube |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box. |
| size | Φ 8.3 × H 5.9 (㎝) |
No.16
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | Sparkling double circular cut glass patterned vessel |
| price | 38,000 yen (excluding tax) (41,800 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 11.8 × H 8.9 (㎝) |
No.17
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | Red lacquered eggshell inlaid flower-shaped tray |
| box | No box |
| size | Φ 24.5 × H 2.2 (㎝) |
No.18
| Author name | Kazuhiro Ishii |
| Work name | A double-layered circular cut glass patterned food box |
| price | 80,000 yen (excluding tax) (88,000 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 20.0 × H 9.0 (㎝) |
No.19
| Author name | Kentaro Izumi |
| Work name | eggshell paste |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 6.2 × H 3.1 (㎝) |
No.20
| Work name | [From left to right] Kentaro Izumi / Eggshell-covered Octagonal Cup Ishii Kazuhiro / Kousai Double Circular Cut Glass Patterned Sake Cup |
| price | [Right] 14,000 yen (excluding tax) (15,400 yen including tax) |
| box | Comes with a paulownia wood box (to be delivered later) |
| size | Φ 6.8 × H 5.5 (㎝) Φ 5.3 × H 5.0 (㎝) |
Regarding sales methods
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- DMWe accept advance reservations for the works displayed on this website before the exhibition begins. We will contact you approximately 20 days before the first day of the exhibition.DMWe ship the items and upload information to this website at almost the same time.
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- For those who are unable to visit our gallery in person, we are happy to accept orders by phone or email.
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- We look forward to receiving your inquiries.
