Urushi artist Ikeda Terumasa: Two of his urushi works acquired by the

Ippodo Gallery Ginza (Tokyo, Ginza) is pleased to announce that two lacquer works by its artist, contemporary artist Terumasa Ikeda, have been acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), one of the largest museums in the United States.

Terumasa Ikeda exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in the UK this spring.

Following this, the acquisition by a major American museum is a highly prestigious achievement, signifying that Ikeda's unique expression, which blurs the boundaries between craft and art, has been etched into history as an international art piece.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, one of the largest museums in the U.S.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), founded in 1900, is one of the largest museums in the southern United States and a global art hub, boasting a world-class collection of over 60,000 works spanning from ancient to contemporary art.

To be selected for the museum's collection means that an artist's name and work will be preserved as part of global art history. Ikeda's work has transcended the boundaries of traditional crafts and has been recognized as "an important work to be preserved now and in the future" in the global art scene.

◼︎ Museum of Fine Arts, Houston website: here

Two Masterpieces Acquired

The two acquired works are unique expressions of Terumasa Ikeda's intersection of "digital and nature" and "organic and inorganic."

1. Remains of the temple

This work features a classical title reminiscent of ancient temples and ruins, yet within the darkness of the lacquer, countless digital symbols and characters intricately emerge.

◼︎ Work Information (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston website): here

A masterpiece that attracted attention at the international art fair "Tokyo Gendai"

This work was also exhibited at the Ippodo Gallery booth at last year's international art fair "Tokyo Gendai" (Pacifico Yokohama), where it garnered significant attention from collectors and art professionals both domestically and internationally, becoming an iconic piece.
The overwhelming presence emanating from the "black" of the lacquer and the "light" of the mother-of-pearl stopped many visitors in their tracks.

2. Arrowhead Incense Container

An incense container featuring the sharp, geometric form of an "arrowhead," adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay that seems to enclose the wavelengths of light. Shells of luminous turban and abalone, cut to a precision of 0.1 millimeters, emit a digital glow, transforming traditional lacquer craft into an uncharted world.

◼︎ Work Information (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston website): here

Comment from Terumasa Ikeda

Until now, I have focused my work on exploring the nature of ornamentation in crafts, primarily through tea utensils and lidded containers.
However, with the cooperation of everyone at Ippodo, I had the opportunity to create a huge object freed from utilitarian purposes. This work was created through a dialogue, while contemplating the Western concept and context of "art."

The production period spanned one year and eight months, and it was a great challenge for both myself and the workshop. The fact that such an endeavor was evaluated from an "outside" perspective and became part of a collection to be passed down to the future feels like a turning point in my creative activities.

At the same time, this achievement would not have been possible without the support of everyone in Japan who has supported my activities. I am deeply grateful.
I will use this experience as an opportunity to connect the techniques and aesthetics cultivated in Japan more widely with the world and to convey their value. I hope you will continue to follow our work.