Gyokusen-do “Special Exhibition of Tsuiki Copperware”
The Nippon Gallery
This event has ended.
Founded in 1816, Gyokusen-do’s history goes back almost 200 years, to the late Edo period. The first time Japan ever participated at an international exhibition – the 1873 World Fair in Vienna, Austria – Gyokusen-do items were selected for display there. Since that time, Gyokusen-do has participated in over 30 international exhibitions, with items which have won many coveted awards. In 1895, at the celebration of the Emperor Meiji’s 25th wedding anniversary, Gyokusen-do was proud to present the imperial family with beautiful items specially crafted for the occasion. Since that time, Gyokusen-do has always been invited to create commemorative gifts for the imperial family on similarly auspicious occasions, during the successive reigns of the Meiji, Taisho, Showa and Heisei Emperors.
In recognition of their distinctive “tsuiki” copperware craftsmanship, Gyokusen-do has twice been awarded the title of “Intangible Cultural Treasure”, by the Japanese National Agency of Cultural Affairs, as well as by the Government of Niigata Prefecture, where their products are created. Furthermore, in 2010 Nobuo Tamagawa, the 5th descendant in the Gyokusen-do line, was personally awarded the title of Living Cultural Treasure by the Japanese Government.
The special technique employed to create Gyokusen-do “tsuiki” copper products involves a painstaking hammering out of each item into the shape desired, all from a single sheet of copper. As might be expected, the mysterious beauty of the items crafted with this “tsuiki” technique has attracted the attention of world-famous brands. In 2011, Gyokusen-do collaborated with the top-class champagne producer Krug (a member of the Louis Vuitton Group), to produce a specially-designed copper champagne cooler, now found on the tables of high-class restaurants in Europe, Japan and elsewhere. In 2012, Gyokusen-do collaborated with the renowned Swiss watchmaker Pierre Junod in designing a new watch, the face of which would be made of “tsuiki” copper. In these and other ways, Gyokusen-do is giving their “tsuiki” copperware craftsmanship a more noticeable place on the world stage.
The Gyokusen-do exhibition at the Nippon Club will include recently-designed products such as wine coolers, as well as more traditional Japanese implements, such as sake cups, trays, kettles, teapots and tea caddies. With a focus on utensils used during the preparation of tea, over 100 “tsuiki” copperware items will be on display, which perfectly combine aesthetically-pleasing forms with long-lasting durability and functionality. Finally, during the display period, each adult visitor will also have the opportunity to taste fine Japanese sake from Gyokusen-do’s “tsuiki” copper sake cups. Negative ions produced by the copper make the sake deliciously smooth, and copper’s excellent conductivity makes all cold drinks feel especially cool and fresh.
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Schedule
from December 03, 2013 to December 06, 2013