Tatsuaki Kuroda (1904 - 1982 ) was born in the Gion district of Kyoto. In 1970, he became Japan's first woodworker to be designated a living national treasure.

Kuroda's work in lacquered wood encompassed a wide range, from small items such as tea ceremony utensils finished with urushi lacquer and raden inlay, to large works such as his imposing chairs and display cabinets. Extremely creative, he produced a large number of masterpieces that display his superb craft and design skills. The breadth of his output attracted domestic and international acclaim, becoming the focus of exhibitions around the world. Surprisingly, until now there has been no exhibition celebrating Kuroda in his Kyoto hometown.

Kuroda's wood work is still alive in Kyoto today. The Shinshindo cafe near the north gate of Kyoto University has tables and benches that were created by Kuroda early in his career, and have been loved and appreciated by generations of students. There is a massive display cabinet at the Kagizen Yoshifusa confectioner in Gion, and a carved signboard at the entrance to the Kawai Kanjiro's House museum.

There are all excellent examples of Kuroda's handwork.

Late in life, Kuroda was commissioned to create furniture by the Imperial Household Agency and by film director Akira Kurosawa, and he was designated a living national treasure. The scope of his activities grew as the years went by, but they can all be traced back to encounters in Kyoto that developed into deeper relationships. Those encounters include Kanjiro Kawai and Muneyoshi Yanagi, who he met while in his twenties, and the Kyoto clients who recognize his talent, supported his work, and remained devoted to his products. This exhibition provides a new opportunity to look back at his achievements in the city that provided their original context.

Beginning with wood, Tatuaki Kuroda was a master skillfully turning natural materials such as urushi lacquer and lustrous pars of seashells suitable for raden inlays into things exquisite beauty. "When you're carve, there's only one chance to catch the beautiful line in the wood. Carve too much or too little, and you miss it." he said. His formidable aesthetic sense and skill are conveyed by the beautiful lines of teach of his products.

2017.09

Trip of Blessing Breeze 恵風の旅

Sekku 節句 : Choyo no Sekku 重陽の節句