Tamayura (Ephemeral)

Summary

Hand-pinched copper sculpture in an A-line form decorated in the traditional Japanese 'shippo', or cloisonne' technique. The interior is decorated in multiple layers of turquoise enamel, whilst the exterior has a bright white enamel coating. Both surfaces have been built up through repeated applications of enamel and firings. Decorating the exterior are hand-cut circular discs in gold and silver leaf. Like the enamel layers, these are built up to form a relief pattern and may have undergone up to ten firings to fuse them to the body.

Display Label

Eastern Exchanges: Craft and Design from East Asia 2 April - 31 May 2015 The ceramics, metalwork, jade, silk and lacquer of East Asia, have been admired and imitated by the West since the late 1600s and many of today’s most exciting international designer makers use East Asian traditions as a springboard for innovation. In the East, crafts have always been thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. Thoughtfully designed objects, made by skilled hands enhanced East Asian life at all levels of society and even everyday storage jars and plant pots represented an opportunity for artistry. But craft was not merely useful: it also expressed identity, philosophical ideas and spirituality. Respect for tradition is all important in the East, and the region’s rich if sometimes daunting craft heritage is evolving through integration of new ideas and international influences. This exhibition highlights this dynamic process: treasures collected by Manchester’s pioneering connoisseurs of East Asian art meet today’s most exciting designer makers. [Manchester Art Gallery mark] [Manchester City Council Logo] [Korea Foundation Logo] [Sasakawa Foundation Logo] [Japan Foundation Logo]