Kawai Masaru & Tsukamoto Yoshiki
- EXHIBITION
- EVENT
01/3
Blessed with a temperate climate and heavy rainfall, Japan is home to vast forest resources. The woodworker Kawai Masaru believes the key to restoring once-abundant coniferous forests to their former beauty is to turn attention to the mountains by using their timber. Kawai’s handcrafted works express his values and attitude toward nature as well as his way of interacting with it. The owner of the restaurant Si Zhi Tang, Tsukamoto Yoshiki, launched this collaboration in response to Kawai’s vision. The Sliced Wood Plate on view are disposable dishes made of paper-thin slices of coniferous wood shaped into lotus petals. The plates are used for dining purposes at Si Zhi Tang. Compared to paper plates, they require less energy to produce and generate no harmful waste once their lifespan is complete. Tsukamoto returns the used plates to the earth himself in the fields he cultivates. Creating utensils to be returned to the earth is a thought-provoking act, encouraging reflection on society’s relationship with nature and commitment to recycling resources.