Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú by Yu Watanabe

Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú by Yu Watanabe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Duais Airgid A' Design Award in Dearadh Soilsithe Competition Category.

AirgeadSoilsiú· 2024

Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú

by Yu Watanabe

Client: Yu Watanabe

Duais Airgid A' Design Award Winner in Soilsiú Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #154276

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Colors

The Design

About Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú

Diorthaíonn sé ó shú nádúrtha a bhaintear go hinbhuanaithe sa tSeapáin, cuirtear laicear Urushi ar bhambú ag cruthú spáis tumthaigh i measc cruthanna cosúil le crainn. Murab ionann agus an cultúr Iartharach, áit a mbaintear scáthanna ón spás, cruthaíonn an tionscadal seo scáthanna d'aon ghnó mar chuid d'áilleacht aeistéitiúil. Is féidir le colúin Urushi solas cosúil le coinneal a fhrithchaitheamh i seomra dorcha, ag scaipeadh gile lonrach a thugann mothú de dhoimhneacht an dorchadais. Cruthaíonn airíonna uathúla na cruthanna agus an tsolais idirghníomhaíocht dhraíochtúil frithchaitheamh solais agus scáthanna, ag dúiseacht spáis mhicreachosmaigh a chuireann an dúlra i gcuimhne.

The Recognition

About the Duais Airgid A' Design Award

Bhuaigh an dearadh Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú Duais Airgid A' Design Award, aitheantas an-ghradamach a bhronntar ar dhearaí ardchaighdeáin, álainn agus drámatach. Is saothair thar a bheith drithleacha agus an-chruthaitheach iad buaiteoirí Airgid a léiríonn saineolas, tallann agus géarchúis shármhaith a ndearthóirí. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh an dearadh Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú ina shaothar iontach, ina léiriú sampla, thar a bheith gairmiúil agus go domhain nuálach. Is aireagán an-suntasach, ionadmhuirthe é an dearadh seo a bhuaigh Duais Airgid A' Design Award a dhéanann leas do theorainneacha na healaíne, na heolaíochta, an deartha agus na teicneolaíochta agus a chuireann chun cinn iad. Is cruthú é an dearadh Radiance of Nature with Urushi Soilsiú a bhfuil formad mór leis, a mhúsclaíonn mianta, a thugann mothúcháin dhearfacha agus a adhnann iontas agus ionadh.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Urushi lacquer is produced from natural sap sustainably harvested in Japan. Unfortunately, the traditional craft of Urushi is in decline due to the emergence of alternative materials. This project aims to revitalise this craft and create a space that connects people with nature. Urushi also has qualities that reflect even the smallest light. Through the arrangement of tree-like shapes, the play of light and shadows can immerse people in a microcosmic space reminiscent of nature.
Dimensions & Packaging: The object consists of 16 cylindrical lights. Diameter: 11 cm to 14 cm. It comes in four sizes: size S 60 cm, size M 90 cm, size L 128 cm, and size XL 167 cm.
Urushi lacquer is applied on the bamboo by hand by Urushi craftsmen.
The bamboo is cut by artisans who cut the bamboo vertically, revealing the cut section on a dare.
Tags: Lighting, Sustainable, Traditional, Revitalising, Cultural, Meditative, Darkness, Space, Installation, Product,
Production Technology: Urushi is extracted from trees in small amounts, applied to natural materials such as bamboo. Although highly durable, Urushi products can be returned to nature when disposed of breaking down naturally under UV light. Crafted by hand by skilled artisans, each product is created in respect of the slow, yet continuous production of natural material. This circular design has the potential to restore the relationship between nature and people contrasting the modern reliance on single-use plastics.
Design Challenge: Why can’t everyday objects also be an opportunity for people to connect with nature? Urushi, a fully repairable, biodegradable, and naturally produced lacquer, allows people to create products embodying the cycle of nature. This ancient Japanese craft founded in principles of sustainability is revitalized through a modern design in this project
Research: Design research was conducted through hands-on experiments, thesis research, and collaboration with experts such as craftsmen, harvesters, and product designers. Hands-on experiments involved experimenting with more than 20 natural materials in combination with lacquer, while on the theoretical side, we investigated the relationship between how traditional Japanese lighting and space are perceived, and the relationship between Japanese gardens, modernism, and minimalism.
Inspiration: Unlike the West, where people often remove shadows from space, the Japanese embrace shadows as a part of aesthetic beauty. In Junichiro Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows, he mentions the true value of lacquerware is that it reflects a candle-like light in a dark room, giving off a luminous glow that gives a sense of the depth of darkness and invites one into a meditative space. Through this project, Urushi is used to reflect a small flickering light while embracing shadows.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2022 in London and Japan, and finished in June 2023 in London, and was exhibited in Saint Central Martins in London.
Operation Flow: Through the arrangement of tree-like shapes, the project seeks to evoke a sense of being in a forest. The play of light and shadows allows viewers to immerse themselves in a microcosmic space reminiscent of nature. This project not only explores the fascination of materials but also encourages the viewer to look at the materials through the lense of their backgrounds, narratives and connections with nature.
Image Credits: ALL Images: Yu Watanabe, 2023
Sound in Video: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Ambiment, Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/