Collection: Kawagita Ryozo 川北 良造

Kawakita Ryozo is a celebrated master of Yamanaka lacquerware and woodturning designated a Living National Treasure in 1994. He was born in Yamanaka, Ishikawa prefecture in 1934, and Studied lathe techniques under his father Kawakita Koichi from 1950. He gained acclaim for his work selected at the 9th Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition) in 1962, and has been consistently exhibited there since receiving many awards. Kawakita selects zelkova, mulberry, maple, black persimmon and other precious woods carefully exploiting the unique characteristics to emphasize the beauty of surface and grain. He combines traditional aesthetic sense with modern sensibility to create graceful pieces of art.