A deep vase of silver on black by Kashima Kazuo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Zogan Kuromido Hachi. It is 13.7 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 14 cm (5-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Kuromido is an alloy of copper mixed with small amounts of tin, lead, or sometimes arsenic. As its name suggests, it is distinguished by a unique, beautiful, blackish hue. It is used in Japanese traditional metalcraft, and further processed, it also serves as a base material for shakudō (a refined copper–gold alloy).
Kashima Kazuo is the 5th generation head of the Kashima family. Born in 1958 as the second son of Japanese-style painter Hiroyuki Hiraide, he studied directly under his Grandfather, Living National Treasure Kashima Ikkoku, the 4th generation head of the family, and Kazuo carries on the Kashima tradition. In recent years, he has held exhibitions and workshops overseas (including in the United States and China). He was a pivotal figure in the 2020 Takaoka Art Museum Exhibition on contemporary Metal Art, held in the National Museum of Modern Art (Kokuritsu Kogei Kan) and is recognized as one of Japan’s leading metal artists.
