'Artist of the Month'......
'Voice' of this month on Lost In Jewellery Magazine is artist
Natsumi Kaihara
"I work to come closer to the essence in silence and serenity. Although it may not be reflected in the final pieces, I intensely value spending a long time with the materials, observing their transformations. The pieces are a result of these essential processes. This dialog, this pursuit, will enable the pieces to possess their own structured order and to resonate mutually, polygonally, silently."
Natsumi Kaihara
Natsumi Kaihara
Artist Natsumi Kaihara
Where is your inspiration coming from?
"It originates from a moment I experienced during my childhood: I lived for a short period in the north of Japan, where it snowed heavily every winter. One morning, I felt as if I was near the essence; when I raised my eyes up to the grey sky from where snow fell, I experienced a sacred feeling as if I was raising, blending with the sky, or it was the sky that descended and melded with me. This silent, sensational sense gave me deep serenity. A scene that became imprinted in my memory as my childhood starting scenery."
Natsumi Kaihara
"It originates from a moment I experienced during my childhood: I lived for a short period in the north of Japan, where it snowed heavily every winter. One morning, I felt as if I was near the essence; when I raised my eyes up to the grey sky from where snow fell, I experienced a sacred feeling as if I was raising, blending with the sky, or it was the sky that descended and melded with me. This silent, sensational sense gave me deep serenity. A scene that became imprinted in my memory as my childhood starting scenery."
Natsumi Kaihara
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Artist Natsumi Kaihara
Artist Interview
Brief interview about yourself and your work as an artist
- Where is your inspiration coming from?
It originates from a moment I experienced during my childhood: I lived for a short period in the north of Japan, where it snowed heavily every winter. One morning, I felt as if I was near the essence; when I raised my eyes up to the grey sky from where snow fell, I experienced a sacred feeling as if I was raising, blending with the sky, or it was the sky that descended and melded with me. This silent, sensational sense gave me deep serenity. A scene that became imprinted in my memory as my childhood starting scenery. - What are you trying to communicate with your Artwork?
Even though my work originates from the results of processes that are important to me, I wouldn’t want a viewer to feel as I do. I challenge myself to assume that my pieces do not define and hold a long margin for asking questions.
With these qualities, the audience can imagine and experience feelings, sceneries where they can relate to their own memories and ideas. If I could invite the creation of such a close relationship, I have accomplished my objective. - Which material do you prefer to use and why?
I prefer using metals. In recent years, I have been working with reticulation and smelting low amounts of silver. My work has a coherence that requires a process of observing how the materials transform before my eyes, enjoying control and chaos alike. It feels good having this dialog with the materials, and metal offers me these properties. - How much value do you give to researching material for your creations?
I have less tendency in seeking new materials before starting a project.
I meet new materials serendipitously or when I confront some technical issue. I look for a solution and one of the available ways is testing new materials. - Is it more important for you the process, or the final Artwork itself?
Personally, I give more significance the process.
My primary drive for creation is regressing to this childhood feeling, the base of my inspiration. High focus provides me with this serenity. In brief, my work is the result of these processes. Another essential aspect is creating my own order during processes, from which pieces will resonate and influence each other. - Is there an Artist you prefer & admire and why?
Ramón Puig, Carles Codina, Marc Monzó, Keiwa Kobayashi, Fumiki Taguchi.
Antonio Tapies, Ramón Guillén Balmes. The first group of artists have their own philosophy and each piece has coherence within their artistic trajectories. I am drawn by their pieces and their passions, and how they enjoy their own creations. The second group, are the artists that had a profound impact in me when I saw their artwork. The colors, compositions, etc. that they selected, allowed me to travel towards my deep subconscious. - Have you ever thought to collaborate with other Artists, or do you like to work on your own
- I am in a group of Japanese jewelers that includes Yuko Yamada and Misato Takahashi.
- Next year, we will have a one-time exhibition in Barcelona.
Besides exhibitions, I value working in a group as I have to be constantly reflecting and delving into myself and my work. Even though we share our mother tongue, I need hours and hours to transmit ideas correctly between us. This process makes me introspect, arrange ideas, unwrap my feelings and thoughts.
The group enables me to learn a great deal, both technically and personally; they make me expand my perception and mind alike. I am fortunate to work together. - Where do you feel you are at with your last Art collection?
The last series was dedicated to small earrings. Bringing these similarly-styled small pieces together, helped them create a landscape of its own universe. This observation pointed me towards the current series of rings called “Utopia”.
This group of small sculpture series invites me to enter this miniature world; they narrate through their appearances, textures, weights. I will continue expanding this settlement of little sculptures so I can investigate what will come next. - What have you discovered about yourself as an Artist along the years ?
I discovered I’m quite stubborn and obsessive about this “Starting scenery”.
After quite a long time trying to renew my style and break my tendencies, I reached the conclusion, that said obsession holds a great key for finding each artist’s own language. Until this obsession lets me be, I will keep working with it. I need to deal with it, and undoubtedly it is an unavoidable subject. - Two words to describe your last Artwork collection.
Silence and Orderliness
Artist Natsumi Kaihara
Is it more important for you the process, or the final Artwork itself?
"Personally, I give more significance the process.
My primary drive for creation is regressing to this childhood feeling, the base of my inspiration. High focus provides me with this serenity. In brief, my work is the result of these processes. Another essential aspect is creating my own order during processes, from which pieces will resonate and influence each other." Natsumi Kaihara
"Personally, I give more significance the process.
My primary drive for creation is regressing to this childhood feeling, the base of my inspiration. High focus provides me with this serenity. In brief, my work is the result of these processes. Another essential aspect is creating my own order during processes, from which pieces will resonate and influence each other." Natsumi Kaihara
CV of the Artist
Natsumi Kaihara
Tokyo, Japan 1982
[email protected]
www.natsumikaihara.com
Studies and formation
2015- Academy Metal Hearts, Tokyo, Japan Japanese traditional technique
2011-2014 Higher Diploma in Visual Arts and Design for Artistic Jewellery, Massana Art School, Barcelona
2008 Art Clay Silver’s Academy, Tokyo, Japan Silversmith with Art Clay Silver
1988-1994 Art School, Tokyo, Japan Oil painting technique
Experience in studios
2013-2015 Carles Codina’s studio/ Barcelona, Spain
2013 Marc Monzó’s studio/ Barcelona, Spain
Main collective exhibitions
2021 RESOURCES, HAMON GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan
2020 WAPR Tokyo-Barcelona, AC,Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2019 HAMON GALLERY/ FUJISANTEN 2.0/ Tokyo, Japan
2018 Nutida Svenskt Silver/ SWEDEN-JAPAN/Sweden
2017 Espaijoia/ Barcelona, Spain
2017 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi/ TOCOHA COLLECT Art and life/ Tokyo, Japan
2016 HAMON Gallery/ TOCOHA COLLECT/ Tokyo, Japan
2015 Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h/ Silence Please!/ Montreal, Canada
2014 Galerie Marzee/ Marzee Graduate Show 2014/ Holland
Prize
2014 Alchimia award/ Joya Barcelona
2014 Special Award Applied Arts/ Massana Art School, Barcelona
Memberships
2020- Klimt02, Member, Barcelona, Spain
2016-2021 Atelier Tocoha, Member, Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan 1982
[email protected]
www.natsumikaihara.com
Studies and formation
2015- Academy Metal Hearts, Tokyo, Japan Japanese traditional technique
2011-2014 Higher Diploma in Visual Arts and Design for Artistic Jewellery, Massana Art School, Barcelona
2008 Art Clay Silver’s Academy, Tokyo, Japan Silversmith with Art Clay Silver
1988-1994 Art School, Tokyo, Japan Oil painting technique
Experience in studios
2013-2015 Carles Codina’s studio/ Barcelona, Spain
2013 Marc Monzó’s studio/ Barcelona, Spain
Main collective exhibitions
2021 RESOURCES, HAMON GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan
2020 WAPR Tokyo-Barcelona, AC,Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2019 HAMON GALLERY/ FUJISANTEN 2.0/ Tokyo, Japan
2018 Nutida Svenskt Silver/ SWEDEN-JAPAN/Sweden
2017 Espaijoia/ Barcelona, Spain
2017 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi/ TOCOHA COLLECT Art and life/ Tokyo, Japan
2016 HAMON Gallery/ TOCOHA COLLECT/ Tokyo, Japan
2015 Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h/ Silence Please!/ Montreal, Canada
2014 Galerie Marzee/ Marzee Graduate Show 2014/ Holland
Prize
2014 Alchimia award/ Joya Barcelona
2014 Special Award Applied Arts/ Massana Art School, Barcelona
Memberships
2020- Klimt02, Member, Barcelona, Spain
2016-2021 Atelier Tocoha, Member, Tokyo, Japan
Bio of the artist
Bio
Went alone to Barcelona in 2008; graduated at professor Ramon Puig Cuyás’s class at the Escola Massana in Artistic Jewelry.
Performed an internship with the jeweler Marc Monzó, with additional experience from assisting in Carles Codina’s workshop for 2 years.
After 6 years of working in her hometown, Tokyo. In 2021 she moved her base back to Barcelona.
Coordinates exhibitions to divulge contemporary jewelry from Barcelona and Japan.
Went alone to Barcelona in 2008; graduated at professor Ramon Puig Cuyás’s class at the Escola Massana in Artistic Jewelry.
Performed an internship with the jeweler Marc Monzó, with additional experience from assisting in Carles Codina’s workshop for 2 years.
After 6 years of working in her hometown, Tokyo. In 2021 she moved her base back to Barcelona.
Coordinates exhibitions to divulge contemporary jewelry from Barcelona and Japan.