Pierre Marie Giraud is pleased to present a solo exhibition dedicated to Kohei Ukai, a young and talented Japanese artist specializing in wood and lacquer sculpture. The exhibition will take place from Thursday, November 7th, to Saturday, December 7th, 2024, at our gallery in Brussels. This exhibition will highlight the unique artistry and craftsmanship of Ukai, showcasing his innovative approach to traditional Japanese techniques.
Born in 1993 in Aichi, Japan, Kohei Ukai currently lives and works in Kanazawa, a city renowned for its rich tradition in crafts and designated as a City of Crafts and Folk Art by UNESCO. Ukai pursued his education in wood and lacquer work at the Kanazawa College of Art, where he completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees before continuing his training at the Kanazawa Utatsuyama Craft Studio. His work has been exhibited in solo and group shows across Japan and China and has gained recognition internationally, notably as a finalist in the prestigious Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2020.
Kohei Ukai’s work is rooted in the natural relationship between wood and Urushi, a traditional Japanese lacquer derived from tree sap. His artistic process involves carving along the natural grain of the wood, allowing the material to guide the form of the sculpture. The lacquer is applied in multiple layers, both covering and revealing the wood, creating a dynamic interplay between the raw and the refined. Through his technique, Ukai seeks to celebrate the inherent vitality and primitive power of the materials, while also paying homage to the natural world.
Ukai’s sculptures are expressions of organic beauty and intuitive craftsmanship. By leaving parts of the wood exposed while others are enveloped in lacquer, he captures a moment of balance between the artist’s intention and the tree’s natural assertion. The result is a series of works that evoke a sense of movement and energy, as if the natural flow of the wood continues to resonate within the finished piece. His innovative style transcends traditional craft, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of ancient techniques.
| Hours | Tuesday to Saturday11:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Type | Exhibition |
| Duration | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
About
Pierre Marie Giraud
Pierre Marie Giraud specializes in unique and limited-edition pieces by international artists working in ceramics, glass and silver. Founded in Brussels in 2005, the gallery represents an exceptional group of over thirty emerging, mid-career and established artists from Europe, North America, Japan and Africa, and regularly showcases their work in both solo and thematic exhibitions. The minimalist and light-filled interiors of the gallery, which is housed in an elegant nineteenth-century townhouse, reflect Giraud's considered approach towards the presentation and appreciation of contemporary applied art. At the same time, the spaces are domestic in scale, which reinforces the link between art and everyday life. The gallery is known for exhibiting only the very best and most original makers, and work that embodies conceptual, technical and aesthetic innovation. Pierre Marie Giraud is internationally recognized for his unparalleled expertise in ceramics. He regularly advises European and American museums on collection acquisitions and curatorial issues, and collaborates with a number of institutions on the promotion of contemporary ceramics.
