Naoki Sakai: Wrought Iron

• This exhibition is by appointment only.

　Please call or email to make an appointment in advance.
　 03-5159-0599 / tokyo@ippodogallery.com
　(Opening hours: 11:00 - 18:00　Closed: Monday)

People did not only seek ‘use’ in crafts, but also ‘beauty’.

In response to this demand for beauty, the craftspeople took pleasure in making.

This relationship has nurtured a high artistic spirit that links ‘people’ and ‘objects’.

As a creator, I am delighted to be able to place myself in this environment and create every day.

Naoki Sakai

We have been taught that ‘iron is the nation’ and have felt the power of iron.

Nowadays, scientific materials that are lighter and stronger than iron have been invented, and there are fewer opportunities to look at iron.

Under such circumstances, Naoki Sakai continues to create towards iron.

I first encountered his work at the World Craft Triennial exhibition at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, where smart iron kettles were displayed side by side.

Unlike the ones made by kettle makers, they felt contemporary.

I have long considered his work to be art, beyond the craft of the beauty of use.

I believe that in the near future, a wall full of Naoki Sakai’s wrought iron art will be delivered to museums around the world.

I hope he will have the courage to take up the challenge of creating a large work of art.