1962

A large Ayaori-gane Vase

2019, Shakudo, Shibuichi, Silver

27,3 cm

The elegantly convex body is composed of woven strips of shakudō, shibuichi and silver, joined with molten silver and subsequently shaped by raising.
An outstanding work of substantial scale and exceptional technical brilliance, executed in the Japanese aya-ori-gane technique.

Takahiro Iede’s metalwork occupies a distinctive position between innovation and tradition. With every stroke of the hammer, the artist explores and expands the possibilities of his materials. His works occupy a singular place within Japanese art and are characterised by an avant-garde, sculptural approach that transcends the formal limitations traditionally imposed by the technical demands of Japanese metalworking.

Iede has enriched Japanese metalwork with a profoundly innovative technique of form-making known as aya-ori-gane (‘woven metal’). The technique combines different copper alloys with gold and silver, which are woven into patterns, subsequently hammered and joined with silver. The woven forms of the ajiro technique in the bamboo craftsmanship of his native region inspired the artist to develop this highly intricate technique.

In the aya-ori-gane process, a plate is first constructed by weaving together fine metal strips. The minute interstices within the woven pattern are then filled with molten silver, binding the individual metal strips into a coherent sheet. The resulting piece is subsequently transformed into a three-dimensional form through various metalworking techniques, above all by raising with the hammer. In some cases, the artist deliberately leaves the interstices unfilled, allowing the woven structure to remain intentionally incomplete.

There are no known precedents for the aya-ori-gane technique either within the Japanese metalworking tradition or in other cultures. Iede is regarded as its inventor and, uniquely, is recognised as the sole practitioner of the technique. In recognition of his outstanding artistic achievements, Takahiro Iede was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon by Emperor Akihito in 2016, one of Japan’s highest honours for artistic and cultural achievement.

His works are held in major public collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Tokyo National Museum.