Enamel Meets Art

Strong and beautiful, enamel is made by baking a vitreous glaze onto metal. What is the potential application of Takara Standard’s exclusive “high-quality enamel” that transcends the realm of everyday life? As a project to explore the possibilities of enamel through co-production with an artist, a collaboration between Takara Standard and contemporary artist Satoshi Kawata began in 2022. Kawata has created numerous murals, primarily using the classical painting technique of fresco (applying plaster to the wall and painting with pigments dissolved in water before it dries) combined with modern painting and construction materials to create vibrantly colored abstract paintings of urban landscapes.
A special feature of the exhibition is a 3-meter scale of their first collaborative work. After Kawata’s original fresco drawing was photographed and inkjet-printed onto a full-size enamel panel, the panel was cut along curved lines and segmented like puzzle pieces. By layering the pieces with magnets, a new expression was achieved in which the matte texture of the fresco and the luster of the enamel are intricately overlaid with deep colors.

Art expanded through collaboration

The fusion of enamel and fresco has made further progress. In the enamel field, craftsmen use a variety of manual decoration techniques, and one of them is “kakitori” (scraping). This is a technique for drawing patterns using the uneven surface of the glaze, which is partially removed by scraping before firing. This method is becoming obsolete in the face of new inkjet technology. Kawata introduced this “kakitori” technique to expand the range of his own enamel expression, and at the same time, through the production of his works, he presents the perspective of the relationship between industry, which provides advanced technologies, and artistic expression, which changes while passing on history and techniques. In November 2023, he completed the 7.7-meter-long enamel mural Learning from Evergreens, using both inkjet printing and “kakitori.” This work is on permanent display at the entrance to the Kyoto branch office of Takara Standard. By applying “kakitori” to the printing technique for mass-production, he established the unparalleled value of his one-of-a-kind enamel work. At OAD2024, his new work derived from the patterns of this work will also be on display.

Through the project

This exhibition will take place in a department store that is alive with people who are looking for a good quality of life. Visitors can feel and enjoy the production process of the series of projects, from the first collaboration to the most recent works of the two parties.
Enjoy the progress of the project over the past two years and expect more updates to come.