ART LIVES TORIDE Where Art Is Born

SAEGUSA Kazumasa：

Cast metal is not something we are familiar with in our daily lives, but I thought it might be a good idea to mix it into our lives a little more, so we do a duet unit called “Imono dogu(Cast metal tools) Michikusa”, separate from our individual production activities.
Items are like vases, candelabras, sounding objects, and nameplates.

“Michikusa” started when I was a research assistant at the Department of Crafts at the University of the Arts and she was a doctoral student, and we decided to create a brand rather than an individual project.

At the time, I was working in an installation style and was moving away from crafts and techniques, but I was also working as an assistant. Then I wanted a place where I could confront crafts and metal casting. So, I thought a unit would be a good way to do it without being overbearing. I think the beauty of craftwork is its tactility. Cast metal is one of the most tactile of metals. When you touch it, it is heavy and cold, but soft and comfortable. I thought that if you could hold something in your hand and use it, you would be able to feel that feeling.

Because we want more people to pick up our products, we do not overwork them so that the price does not become too high, and we make the best use of the expression of the finished castings. In the case of “Michikusa”, I hope that it will be a cast metal that is not too expensive rather something that people will want to keep by their side.

Although the sense of tactility has become increasingly distant in this age of the Corona Disaster, I think it is still fundamentally important. For those who work with materials, the attractiveness of the things, the sense of materials, and physical sensation – physical sensitivity – are always the base of their work.

It is a very natural thing for me to continue creating, but I think one of the driving forces is the desire to put what I have imagined into a form that I can touch in front of my eyes.
As I work, I see different faces of the materials and notice interesting nuances in the shapes, which I may not be able to use at the time, but I think, “I’ll use it next time,” or “It would go well with that,” and the production process continues.
“Michikusa” seems to have stabilized a bit now, but I think we need to make another move.

 

TATSUMI Miyuki：

It was when we were living in an old wooden house; we had renovated ourselves and began to think about the possibilities of cast metal in our daily lives and as a tool.
The theme for my doctoral thesis work was something like “simple silhouettes and forms inspired by old tools and antiques, and the way they are placed.” The things that people no longer take care of remain lying on the floor, piled up on a work of art, or simply leaned against a wall.

Eventually, I tried doing the same thing in my house while unpacking my belongings for moving out, and combined with the atmosphere of old furniture and log beams. Naturally, I thought, “Ah, it’s beautiful to have this kind of thing in a living space,” and began to think about cast metal in daily life.
In Japan, people are not familiar with bronze because we do not use metal for tableware, but I would like people to know more about the charm of bronze. I want people to see the possibilities of what bronze, which is not a bronze statue, can do.

Michikusa’s works are all one-of-a-kind because we make prototypes by cutting out wax sheets without taking molds. There are some standard shapes, but each piece is unique.
Most Michikusa flower vases are small enough to fit in your palm, but if you actually hold one in your hand, you will feel the comfortable weight that sinks firmly into your hand in relation to its size, as well as the expression, texture, and beauty of the greenish-blue color unique to cast metal.

However, it is very difficult to convey that feeling just from the pictures, as it is now more difficult to actually have it in your hands due to covid.
I especially like to sculpt wax by touching it directly, and I work backwards to see what the wax will look like when it is bronzed. The wax can take on any shape. These days I use it like clay, and I’m also very persistent about layering the expression onto the wax in plate form. Everything I do becomes metal, so I feel free.

Anything and everything can be used as a reference for production. So, I always say “I got inspiration!” I enjoy that moment. But if I don’t try what I come up with on the spot, I don’t know if it’s really good or not. I repeat various experiments. There are a lot of inspirations that don’t take shape. I want to keep making things as long as they excite me.

Casting takes time. Even after the prototype is made, the hot water channel has to be attached, the mold has to be made and fired, after the metal is formed, the hot water channel has to be cut, smooth and polish the surface, and then finally colored. So, sometimes I want to give shape to my ideas quickly, and since I also like fabric, I make a lot of things with my sewing machine too. When I play, my mind goes full blast, and I make one thing after another, saying, “Okay, it’s done! I feel great. In this way, maybe I’m taking a balance.

I don’t want to think too much about making things special, like cooking. I want to value things like what is in season for me right now. That kind of time leads to new inspiration. In the end, I want to make new and wonderful castings.

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About seven years after I moved into Toride, I needed a free and spacious space, so I searched for one on the Internet and came across this house. The house is large enough to overlook the garden and has an atelier. I have lived here for about 6 years now. I was grateful that the people around me and the owner understood that I could leave my luggage and works as they were.

It’s easy to have a studio at home. I think a communal studio would bother people, so I would prefer to have it at home.