Do you know “Kanshitsu”? It is an old technique used in Urushi lacquerware. Momose uses this ancient technique to create contemporary art works.
MOMOSE, Reia was born in 1987 in Nagano, Japan. She finished Kanazawa college of Art both BA and MA majored in lacquering techniques.
She creates lacquered objects inspired by natural forms. She sophisticates the plants into somewhere abstracts. Her works are seeds and fruits on the ground, plants sprout from wall.
Her uses the technique called Kanshitsu. The pieces formed with polystyrene-foam first. And then cover it with 5-6 layers of hemp cloth soaked with lacquer. After the shed hardened, the details being subsequently modelled with a mixture of lacquer, sawdust, and powdered clay stone. Over the powdered lacquer layers, there will be the surface lacquering, which laid 4 times around. Eventually the mould will be melted out and emptied. Hence, the works are very light.
Momose decorates the surface with various techniques; ‘Kawari-nuri’. One of her methods is sprinkling tiny seeds on wet lacquered surface. After the lacquer gets stabilised, she removes the seeds. On the slightly jugged surface, she layers gold leaves on, then lacquers ‘suki-urushi'(clear coloured lacquer) and polish. This procedure occurs within 0.05-0.1 mm thick.
Another unusual technique she works with is “chijimi”; which too much moisture in the air causes Urushi’s drying process too fast, thus, the surface shrinks and leaves wrinkles. Normally it is considered as fail of Urushi’s drying process though Momose transforms it to an effective decoration.
They are some of her techniques, she uses water, oil, which normal lacquer work would not use. The effects of her cautious works give the depth in the finishing.
Selected Exhibition
2015 Development of Contemporary arts and crafts 2105, Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum,Ishikawa
Japan spirit×15 ~Urushi~, Orie Art Gallery,Tokyo
ART FAIR TOKYO 2015, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo
2014 agnès loves japon, agnès b. Aoyama,Tokyo
agnès loves japon, Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo
ART FAIR TOKYO 2014, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo
2011 “The new form of Japanese lacquer”, The Museum of Arts and Crafts, Itami, Hyogo