Light drifts

Thank you to everyone who came to the Kumagai Shun and Sakaida Aki Exhibition.

Set in the pleasant weather as the seasons change, the glass artworks, wrapped in spring scenery, change appearance from moment to moment.
It's like a painting, a collection of disparate colors holding hands in a work of art.
It was a sight that left me entranced.

This is the first time that glass works will be exhibited at Utsushiki.

It is a material that is very close to me and that I have a lot of feeling for personally.

My father was a glassblower and had a studio next to our house, so I grew up surrounded by glass.

When I was young, I was told not to go near this place because it was dangerous, but it turned out to be a secret base filled with countless mysterious materials and homemade kilns.

The glass had to be constantly heated to a high temperature of around 1200 degrees, so the sound of the fire roaring would echo throughout the room, and I remember coming home from school with a loud voice saying "I'm home!" to stand up to the noise.

Once the glass cools, it can no longer be shaped, so the long glassblower rod is moved quickly to create a shape in an instant. Surrounded by many machines, we pay attention not only to the visible changes, but also to the sounds they make.
Although I was scared of my father, who always had a tense, nervous air about him, I found the process of making things fascinated and couldn't take my eyes off it.

It was so magical watching the viscous liquid gradually change shape and begin to glow like a treasure that I wanted to watch it forever.

If you think about it, this may be where my interest in how things are made began.

I'm not just interested in the finished product, but in the process and the path it took; in a sense, everything has a kind of personality, and I find the joy of discovering these aspects fascinating.

I have been working with glass for over 40 years.

This year again, we broke down and repaired the glass kiln that had cooled and hardened, and prepared for new production.

As a girl, I hope that she will continue until she runs out of energy.

Kumagai's work resembles pottery that has been excavated over a long period of time.

Everyone was very interested in the process and asked, "How does it get like this?!"

Sakaida's style is to use a process called sandblasting, which involves scratching glass with sand to instantly finish the piece, and to carefully scratch each piece by hand to create a rich texture.

You can feel the joy of creating and how frankly he feels his work is beautiful.

At Utsushiki, we not only provide content that showcases the works of art, but also the creators' work scenes and thoughts, which are not usually revealed to the public.

Please also enjoy the "Dialogues" and posts that compile the interviews into articles.

I hope that you will get to know the people behind the items and the artists, along with the artwork you have in your hands.

The online exhibition will be extended until 10:00 on Monday, March 6th.

Look at the photos and videos over and over again to find your favorites.

When I occasionally look closely at the morning sun, the colors of the hot glass in the kiln emerge and the glass seems organic.

It is very similar to the color of the sun at sunrise, ready to radiate its full energy.

We would be incredibly happy if meeting you two sparked your interest in glass and made you want to keep it by your side.

If you have a chance to visit the store, be sure to take in the beautiful scenery bathed in spring light.

Saori Konishi