/ kokeshi

Kokeshi are traditional wooden dolls from the Tohoku region in north-central Japan.
During a two-week residency in the hot spring village of Togatta-onsen, I visited the Kokeshi Museum and explored the techniques used to create them.
I then collaborated with Kouyu Ueda, a young craftsman who is dedicated to passing on the savoir-faire of kokeshi, to create a series that engages with this tradition (techniques, tools, materials) while diverging from its typical imagery.
The outcome is these four geometric characters, designed by me and crafted by Kouyu Ueda.

2022