Iwasaki Tsutomu
- EXHIBITION
01/3
Iwasaki’s father is a sculptor in Toyama’s Inami wood-carving tradition¬—an intricate style of carving used to adorn Buddhist temples and other architecture. Iwasaki follows in those traditions but has pioneered his own original style. Each hewn from a single block of wood, his sculptures feature meticulously carved, ornate designs that maximize the inherent beauty of the wood itself. Persimmons are a frequent motif, which Iwasaki says evoke images of traditional village life in Japan, and for him personally, the fruit is a poignant reminder of his own hometown near the mountains. His renderings of persimmons capture this multifaceted image in his mind, presenting versions of the fruit that feel more real than an actual persimmon.