Okamoto Yoshiko (b. 1976) Okamoto started as an illustration book artist and author in Yamaguchi prefecture, where she spent her young adult period depicting the beautiful four seasons and stories of nature found in her everyday life. Enrolling in arts and craft classes conducted by a Living National Treasure metalwork artist Yamamoto Akira (who also comes from Yamaguchi prefecture), shifted her direction to become a metalwork artist. After graduating college, she became a pupil of Mr. Yamamoto and learned his specialized technique of Hagiawase (heat welding method with metal forging) and Kiribame-Zogan (heat welding method with cutout inlay). Her working motif has remained the same throughout her artist's career that is an endless story of nature woven by the four seasons in which she incorporates poetic and musical aspects. This is done by using gradation of many layers of colorful tones of metal. Hagiawase (矧合) is a traditional Japanese metalworking technique involving the forging and heat-welding of different colored metals—such as copper, silver, shakudō, and shibuichi—to create intricate, multicolored, and often flowing patterns on a single, seamless surface. It is used to create art pieces, such as vases, and in samurai armor.
"Kazekaoru"
(Fragrance of Wind)
Hagiawase Incense Burner
Silver, Shakudo (copper and gold alloy) and shibuichi (copper and silver alloy)
2022
Okamoto Yoshiko (b. 1976)
Japan
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