Ichizo Ino

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1970, Ino completed a master’s programme in lacquer art within the Department of Crafts at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.

His practice is rooted in mokushin kanshitsu (wood-core dry lacquer) and tōso (clay-and-paste modelling), techniques used by artisans since the Nara period. He carves the rough outline of familiar motifs such as children and cats out of wood, then applies many layers of urushi over this core. This allows him to achieve both the rich sense of volume unique to wood carving and the delicate expressiveness that urushi brings. His work may be, as the artist himself puts it, “something like a very personal Buddhist statue”. His pieces have an extremely tranquil presence, gently enveloping the viewer with a deep charm that brings a sense of calm to everyday life.