"Tactile Coloration of Outline"

This striking artwork—a red disc of almost unreal purity—is made entirely of urushi lacquer. Over the course of more than a year and a half, Hiroshi Kaneyasu patiently applied dozens of layers of natural lacquer. Each layer required approximately four days of drying, followed by meticulous polishing. Gradually, this process revealed a surface of extraordinary smoothness and near-hypnotic perfection. The result is a form that appears simple, yet possesses infinite tactile and visual depth.

Hiroshi Kaneyasu (born in 1991) has developed a singular sculptural universe composed of organic forms that evoke natural objects—pebbles, open pods, or fragments of fossilized wood. Working with vegetal lacquer and extraordinary patience, he alternates between deep gloss and mineral roughness, creating a tension between softness and raw texture.

His works display a vibrant chromatic palette, blending fiery reds, deep blacks, bluish reflections, and coppery highlights. These interactions of material and light give each sculpture an almost telluric presence.

A finalist for the prestigious LOEWE Craft Prize, Hiroshi Kaneyasu was exhibited at the Palais de Tokyo from May 15 to June 9, 2024. Positioned between abstraction and echoes of natural forms, his work stands out as one of the most promising voices in contemporary lacquer art.