In fact, although I am creating lacquered works, I very rarely create tableware.
Until now, I have made virtually no bowls or plates, and when I have made them, these have been requested by people around me and there are hardly any photos of them remaining.
However, I have created many different types of sake cups.
I enjoy making sake cups, and I have many ideas about this.
Combined with the fact that I enjoy drinking sake myself, I can imagine “putting sake in this”, and make it with a grin.
However, it is difficult to raise the price of sake cups, particularly those that you wish people to use.
In the case of an “only one” creation, you can reveal all of its elements as a product, and give it a high price by positioning it as an artistic work, but for the series that I would like people to use, I want to keep the price at 200,000 yen or below.
This being the case, I was unable to make a profit making them, and, even if I sold it, I found myself in the red.
Being in the red despite painstakingly working to increase quality is the worst possible situation for a business person.
I have a feeling that I made a loose reference in a blog to no longer being in the sake cup making game (I don’t really remember though).
However, I wish to retract.
I have decided to make a new series of 10 works looking forward to a private exhibition.
The reason I reached this decision is as follows.
Up to this point, making sake caps has given me many opportunities for expression.
For example,
Gold lacquer serving table “Koge”
Gold lacquer spiral serving table “Kikuka”
These two products
are collaboration products with the “Netsuke” creator Mansei-san,
and I believe that as problems they have achieved an extreme level of balance
From this, I gained a certain degree of confidence that I could pursue beauty by performing my best work in the modern age.
The last work I created was for my private exhibition in 2017
This sake cup was not complete at the time it was photographed.
Even so, it was included in the collection of products.
In the final stages before holding the private exhibition, this was one work that afforded me the opportunity to express color.
From that point,
I was able to link to express these jujube tree-like colors.
What opportunities for expression will the sake cups that I create for my next private exhibition give me?
I am not really sure, but I have the desire to pour the technology I currently possess and modernity into these small works.
I am sure that some things will become clear after doing that.
One regrettable thing is that I am not able to use this product.
The creator touches the product for the longest time, but is unable to actually use it.
I heal myself from this sense of loneliness by buying and using the products of other creators.
I will post another article when there is progress with these works!!