Akane Yamamoto

Born 1977, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

"The aspects of nature in Japan along with the classics of Japanese literature, especially, the Tale of Genji are inspirations for creating the imagery in my work. I hope that my Kirikane-glass works featuring aesthetic sense and sensitiveness of Japan, are to be dispatched to the world from Kyoto, the center of traditional Japanese arts."

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Working in Japan

1996-2001   Kyoto City University of Arts, Japan, Japanese painting
2000-2007   Studied traditional Kirikane under Sayoko ERI, National Treasure Artist of Kirikane, Japan
2009-2011   Toyama City Institute of Glass Art, Toyama, Japan

The Kirikane technique employs gold or silver foil cut into thin strips or minute triangular or square pieces, which are laid on designs painted in with glue. The designs consist of straight or curved lines, a wavy vertical stripe pattern (tate-waku), or small flowers. Kirikane was imported from China during the T’ang dynasty (618–907). The earliest extant examples are the wooden Shi Tenno (“Four Guardian Gods”) of the Kon-do, Horyu Temple near Nara, thought to be works of the late Asuka (552–645) or early Hakuho (645–724) period. However, it was from the Late Heian period (897–1185) that this technique flourished. The paintings of the Juni-ten (“Twelve Guardian Gods”) in the Kyoogokoku Temple, Kyoto, are regarded as typical examples. The original technique of Kirikane in Western art can be seen as far back as the Hellenistic ‘Sandwich gold-glass bowl’ (British Museum Collection, 270-200BC, Canosa, Puglia, Italy). This bowl shows a fine floral design in gold leaf sandwiched between two layers of colourless (clear) glass.

Akane Yamamoto has work in the following public collections:

The British Museum, London
Imperial Household Agency, Japan
Nakaya Ukichiro Museum of Snow and Ice, Kaga City, Japan
Toyama Glass Art Museum, Toyama, Japan
West Japan Railway Company, Japan
Yoshizawa Memorial Museum of Art, Sano, Japan

There are currently no works available by this artist.