1976

Mokume-gane Vase

2013, Silver, Copper, Shakudo, Shibuichi, Kuromido

18,5 cm

Undulating body with a slightly obliquely hammered ribbed decoration, the base finished in kuromidō.

A highly elegant vase by an outstanding representative of contemporary Japanese mokume-gane art. Owing to its particularly successful colour pattern, the piece was for many years among the artist’s favoured works and consequently remained in his personal collection for an extended period.

Ryuhei Sako (b. 1976, Okayama) developed an interest in the Mokume-gane technique during his studies at Hiroshima City University. He completed his Bachelor’s degree there in 1999 and his Master’s degree at the university’s Graduate School of Art in 2002. In 2003 he established his own workshop in Tamano, relocating it to Okayama in 2005, where he continues to work today. Sako has been a member of the Japan Art Crafts Association since 2004.

Sako initially developed his specialisation in Mokume-gane through independent study of historical sources and technical literature, refining his skills over more than a decade of intensive experimentation. Today, he is recognised internationally as a leading specialist in this traditional Japanese metalworking technique. Drawing on classical vessel forms, he combines traditional methods with a contemporary formal language. A particular focus of his practice is the exploration and expansion of the chromatic possibilities of alloys such as shakudō and shibuichi.

The recipient of numerous awards, Sako is represented in major international collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.