⑬Artist Profiles TAKAHASHI Kengo

Takahashi began his career as a metalwork artist after studying metal casting at the Department of Crafts of Tokyo University of the Arts. Before entering university, he saw SUZUKI Chokichi’s Twelve Hawks, an Important Cultural Property housed by the National Crafts Museum, and was greatly impressed by its beauty—an experience that has influenced his style considerably. There are three characteristics of Takahashi’s art. First, many of his works are based on animals, in particular their skulls; second, the vacuum pressure casting is used for molding; and finally, he focuses on the themes of life and death. Having grown up in an area rich in nature, the artist was moved by life through contact with plants and animals. However, after experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake, he turned to creating the Flower Funeral series that mourns death. On the other hand, from a technical point of view, his use of casting methods that have been used primarily for jewelry also deserves recognition. By using aluminum as a material and casting fresh flowers, he successfully introduced nature directly into his works. For this exhibition, he took on the challenge of creating an incense case as his first works for a specific use.