Japanese Metalworking Techniques at Penland

Through Sunday, November 17, the Penland Gallery presents Tradition of Excellence: Japanese Techniques in Contemporary Metal Arts. Curated by metalsmith, jeweler and teacher Hiroko Yamada, the exhibition features work by 22 Japanese artists and seven American artists.

Yamada’s grandfather and uncle were Japanese screen artists and she grew up watching them in the studio. “They were often working metal ornaments for the screen so that was my very first experience with Japanese traditional metal work,” she says. In 1992, Yamada traveled to the US to study metalsmithing and jewelry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “It just so happened that my professor, Eleanor Moty, had learned techniques from a Japanese traditional metal artist, Mr. Ando,” Yamada says. “I learned a Japanese technique from an American.”

Yamada’s says her intention with Tradition of Excellence is to highlight “the simplicity of beauty” and “overcome the boundary between traditional and contemporary art work.” Some of the artists featured in the exhibition adhere strictly to traditional techniques while others, like artist Seth Gould, reinvent and combine techniques. “I would like to think my strong influence of historical iron work from the West and traditional Japanese ornamentation from the East combine to create a contemporary form,” says Gould. “This exhibition allows viewers to see a type of work that is rarely seen in the US. It also helps nurture a connection between US and Japanese artists and promote an understanding and appreciation of Japanese metalwork.”