Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명 by Yu Watanabe

Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명 by Yu Watanabe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award 은상 in 조명 제품 및 기구 디자인 Competition Category.

은조명· 2024

Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명

by Yu Watanabe

Client: Yu Watanabe

A' Design Award 은상 Winner in 조명 Category

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Verified Award Winner
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Colors

The Design

About Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명

일본에서 지속가능한 방식으로 채취한 천연 수액에서 얻은 우루시(옻) 칠을 대나무에 입혀, 나무를 닮은 형태들 사이에 몰입감 있는 공간을 만들어낸다. 공간에서 그림자를 제거하려는 서양 문화와 달리, 이 프로젝트는 그림자를 미적 아름다움의 일부로서 의도적으로 만들어낸다. 우루시로 마감된 기둥들은 어두운 방에서 촛불과 같은 빛을 반사하며, 어둠의 깊이를 느끼게 하는 은은한 빛을 발한다. 형태와 빛의 독특한 특성은 빛의 반사와 그림자가 어우러지는 매혹적인 상호작용을 만들어내며, 자연을 연상시키는 소우주적 공간을 불러일으킨다.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 은상

Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명, 이 작품은 A' Design Award 은상 수상작으로, 최상급이며 아름답고 인상적인 디자인에 수여되는 비범하게 권위 있는 인정입니다. 은상 수상작은 대단히 뛰어나고 매우 창의적인 작품으로, 디자이너의 탁월한 전문 지식, 재능, 통찰력을 보여 줍니다. Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명, 이 작품은 훌륭한 대표작으로서 매우 전문적이고 깊이 있게 혁신적일 것으로 기대됩니다. 이 은상 수상 디자인은 예술, 과학, 디자인, 기술의 경계를 넓히는 데 이바지하는 주목할 만하고 찬사를 받는 발명품입니다. Radiance of Nature with Urushi 조명, 이 작품은 모두가 부러워하는 창작물로서 욕망을 일깨우고 긍정적인 감정을 불러오며 경탄과 경이로움을 불러일으킵니다.

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/