A lacquer bowl that combines traditional makie (lacquerware) with modern graphics
The high-quality lacquered bowl, known as Shin-nuri, is made by Rokurosha in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture. The inside is decorated with a maki-e (gold-lacquered) design of an eel that I created. When I think about graphics, I always value making something look delicious, and the eel pattern is both uplifting and appetizing.
I thought it would be both auspicious and interesting to see this round curve in a bowl filled to the brim with soup. You can use it to serve rice or as a small bowl for boiled greens. With continued use, the foil will wear off and the paint underneath will become visible, which is proof that you've loved it.
The craftsman who did the makie was around 80 years old. He drew it freehand while looking at my drawing. Lacquerware is beautiful, but it's a bit intimidating and not yet fully integrated into our daily lives. I feel that by elegantly incorporating graphic patterns, the possibilities for it as everyday tableware will expand.
Rokurosha is a brand run by Yoshio Sakai, a lacquerware woodworker. The eel bowl was created as part of the "Only Bowl" series, which allows customers to customize the lacquer and pattern based on traditional lacquer bowls. "The lacquer used in its pure form is so beautiful in itself, so the outside is left plain. From the outside, it looks serene, but when you look inside, you're taken aback, which is what I like about it."
