Fumiko Gotô
Jeweller
Published: 10.09.2021
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Bio
After over 30 years of practicing architecture, working with different scales and typology of buildings, I am now taking on a new scale and genre by creating jewellery.Statement
The richness of seasonal diversity has endowed Japanese culture with a variety of motifs, which have been extracted from nature and abstracted into distinctive forms and worked further into exceptional artefacts by Japanese artists. Inspired by these artefacts, I transform these constitutions into jewellery, employing substances that evoke the chromatic heritage of traditional Japan.As in architecture, I set the scale of my 'ornament' to the human physiology, in this case of creating jewellery namely the size that fits in the mouth. I am inspired by traditional Japanese sweets - 'Wagashi', and especially I have been compelled by the size hitokuchi, which means 'mouthful' - a morsel can be ingested whole, all at once, without first taking a nibble.
Consequently I have adopted this size to my jewellery, is very appropriate to the scale of human body especially worn as brooches: this size is small enough not to disturb the whole visual appearance of a person with his/her style, clothing, complexions etc., but large enough to make the wearers’ personal statements.
Series “Maquette 1:1”, 2021
Perception of space is marked by architectural elements which compose our surroundings, and the recognition of that space is linked to the scale of human physiology.
The work of MAQUETTE 1:1 consists of nine triptych brooches, 27 single pieces in all. They are inspired by architectural ornaments and carved out of beech wood and finished with Japanese Urushi lacquer in satin and high gloss, paying an Homage to the oldest surface treatment used for temples and shrines in ancient Japan.
The design of the brooches evolved from three elements: cross sections of base board, chair or handrails and crown mouldings. These components define and frame a space conceptually, using segments connecting floor to wall and wall to ceiling or handrail that escort human movement in space. The profiles are designed and arranged; some have been taken from existing examples, all true to architectural scale, therefore the title MAQUETTE 1:1.
The fascinating beauty of shapes in numerous variations is revealed by cross sections of moulding that otherwise are simply applied longitudinally in a room, and by viewing the sections one is appealed to imagine how complete mouldings may appear in a room. These mouldings are widely used as decorative elements, as well they have a function by marking transitions that join different materials.
My interest in creating this composition is to reveal otherwise imperceptible core as a visible shape, experimenting in the possible harmony or maybe discord by shifting the scale and repositioning ornaments taken directly from architecture to the size of human body.
Series “Kumite ni Tsugite”, 2020
From the ancient time in Japan, 'Miyadaiku' - carpenters, specially trained to constructshrines and temples practiced wood joining methods called Kumite or Tsugite, without the use of any metal parts to connect timbers. The joining elements are directly cut and shaped in the wood itself and inserted like complex puzzles, yet occasionally joints are made using an additional independent wood-element to secure them more steadily.
This extra element - one may call it a 'foreign body' or 'the third element' inspired me to create this series of brooches. For the 'the third element' I have chosen traditional Japanese motifs that I often apply to my composition, such as cocoon, calabash, or fava bean.
For the materials, I have chosen again to carve and polish substances reminiscent of traditional Japanese artefacts as I used for the 'Wagashi' series, such as black buffalo horn and mammoth ivory. Especially for this series I have chosen amber comprehensively as the third element - this warm yellow colour evokes the appearancetortoise shells, which were extensively used for hair ornaments called Kanzashi in the past.
With nearly 40 years of experience as an architect, it is very natural that I should be interested in this traditional architectural method of joinery.
Mutually, the concept of 'the third element', which implies the interrelationship of the complexity and the diversity of our surroundings captivated me to create this series.
Series “Wagashi”, 2019 and continuing
Indispensable to the tea ceremony, 'wagashi' - traditional Japanese sweets inspired me to transform these into jewellery, employing substances reminiscent of traditional materials, such as carving and polishing black buffalo horn which recalls black-lacquerware; mammoth ivory, preciously preserved over 10,000 years in Siberian permafrost as a substitute for protected ivory which was used widely for Netsuke-carvings; and gems that evoke the chromatic heritage of traditional Japanese jewellery.
I have applied a variety of traditional Japanese motifs, e.g., 'hyôtan' (calabash), 'mayu' (cocoon), 'hamaguri' (clam), and 'soramame' (fava bean) as ground silhouette for my jewellery, these forms have been widely adopted and repeatedly implemented in different fields to create an array of artefacts in Japan. I have abstracted these formsfurther until the original figures nearly distorted, in which I am inspired by the Italian mannerist painters who exercised their distinctive stylings delightfully.
As in architecture I set the scale of my jewellery to the human physiology. In this series of 'Wagashi', I have been particularly compelled by the 'wagashi'-size called 'hitokuchi' that means 'mouthful' - a morsel small enough be ingested whole, all at once, without first taking a nibble.
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