Mokume-gane Vase

Earning his masters at Hiroshima City University in the Department of Design and Applied Arts in 2002, Ryuhei Sako uses the centuries-old Japanese Mokume-gane metal technique to create contemporary pieces. A member of the Japan Arts and Crafts Association, his work is characterised by extensive research and experimentation.
This multifaceted metallic vessel is a confluence of traditional and modern interpretation. Pushing the time-honoured Mokume-gane welding technique to its limit, the vessel consists of 26 layers of metal, including traditional Japanese alloys such as “shakudo” (an alloy of copper and gold) and “shibuichi” (an alloy of silver and copper).
Shining with immensely pure light,
the surface is embellished by dark
curlicues that hint at its chemical
complexity. The cross-section
of materials underwrites this rippled
effect, which rhythmically illustrate
scarcity, density, stillness and
movement in one singular piece.