Big Trays of paquetry

A modern day practitioner of traditional Kyoto woodworking, Shuji Nakagawa is part of a family legacy of artisans that stretches back generations. Specialising in the fine Japanese woodwork style of sashimono and bucket-making technique ki-oke, he upholds longstanding craft traditions. Traditional joined parquetry techniques are reimagined with modern mathematical precision to create three remarkably tactile circular trays. Using Japanese cedar cut from a specific height and joining the wood according to the angles and patterns of pre-existing wood rings, Nakagawa was able to repress a natural predisposition for shrinking. By creating a piece that is wider than the original log, his calculations harness a greater strength to avoid cracks and warping. Bringing scientific rigour to traditional craft, this technique invigorates an already formidable family legacy.