Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums by Yu Watanabe

Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums by Yu Watanabe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Sudraba balva A' Design Award in Apgaismojuma produktu un gaismekļu dizains Competition Category.

SudrabaApgaismojums· 2024

Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums

by Yu Watanabe

Client: Yu Watanabe

Sudraba balva A' Design Award Winner in Apgaismojums Category

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Colors

The Design

About Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums

Iegūta no ilgtspējīgi novāktas dabiskās sveķu sulas Japānā, Urushi laka tiek uzklāta uz bambusa, radot iegremdējošu telpu starp kokam līdzīgām formām. Atšķirībā no rietumu kultūras, kur cilvēki noņem ēnas no telpas, šis projekts apzināti rada ēnas kā estētiskā skaistuma daļu. Urushi kolonnas spēj atstarot svecei līdzīgu gaismu tumšā telpā, izstarojot mirdzošu spīdumu, kas rada tumšuma dziļuma izjūtu. Unikālās formas un gaismas īpašības rada valdzinošu gaismas atstarojumu un ēnu mijiedarbību, radot mikrokosmisku telpu, kas atgādina dabu.

The Recognition

About the Sudraba balva A' Design Award

Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums ir Sudraba balvas A' Design Award ieguvējs, ārkārtīgi prestiža atzinība, ko piešķir augstākās klases, krāšņiem un iespaidīgiem dizainiem. Sudraba ieguvēji ir ārkārtīgi spožas un ļoti radošas izpausmes, kas parāda to dizaineru izcilo kompetenci, talantu un asredzību. Sagaidāms, ka Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums būs lielisks, paraugdarbs, ļoti profesionāls un dziļi inovatīvs. Šis ar Sudraba balvu apbalvotais dizains ir ievērojams, apbrīnots izgudrojums, kas palīdz paplašināt mākslas, zinātnes, dizaina un tehnoloģiju robežas. Radiance of Nature with Urushi Apgaismojums ir radījums, kam daudzi apskauž, kas modina vēlmes, rada pozitīvas izjūtas un raisa izbrīnu un apbrīnu.

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/