Making beauty: Onishi Isao

This series celebrates the work of living Japanese artists and craftspeople. Onishi Isao makes exquisitely beautiful wooden lacquer trays, bowls and plates. Each item takes one full year to create. He painstakingly shapes the raw wood, paints on hundreds of paper-thin layers of lacquer and polishes the pieces to a high shine. Every object is imbued with a vitality that belies its simplistic form.
This film series has been produced with the support of JTI.

[@spirit9091]

There is something really amazing about the Japanese Art culture. I somehow get the feeling that patience is the most important quality an artist must have.

[@littlsuprstr]

i like that he had to think about giving his serving plate to be displayed in a museum.

[@theoutdoorappreciationsoci8858]

I love how he thought back to how his family used to dine and then created this beautiful piece, in the image of how they would have appreciated it at that time.

[@abbij6090]

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying this series. Onishi Isao and his fellow artisans are just amazing at their craft. I love the idea of recognizing modern artisans as historically and culturally valuable. One of the things that I have noticed in this series is that they are generally happy with a product with an imperfection. I once heard a purportedly Amish saying that they create a small imperfection in their work if none happen naturally, because only God is perfect. I love to see the value of hand crafted, individual items in a world of mass produced, identical, "perfect" products.

[@annwitten4359]

He is so cute! I love the platter- absolutely stunning!

[@brianasciak1668]

wow what beauty of craftsmanship

[@billysidness5907]

This is obscure and awesome :)

[@JaesadaSrisuk]

It’s so interesting how the manufacture of everyday objects like wooden platters and porcelain teacups or even garden tools are elevated to a masterpiece art form like this. A much needed change that occurred in the 20th Century was that “decorative arts” such as this started to become as respected as the mediums traditionally known as “fine arts” such as painting or sculpture. Artisans and be artists; artists can be artisans - it’s all art, so it’s good we moved away from those elitist views on art.

[@icangicung20]

I never knew kitchen appliances can be this cool

[@franciamonzon3198]

Hermosamente unico!

[@lordsnooks2804]

This man is like the kind old tinker or toymaker straight from a fairytale

[@W4iteFlame]

it is really great when art objects can be used not only for looks

[@StefanMilo]

Absolutely beautiful

[@paustinheaton]

Beautiful!

[@dniweknir]

Amazing!

[@11Kralle]

Danke schön!

[@bryankelly335]

Very eccentric yet elegant art .. It's always nice to see someone so passionate keeping these kind of older traditions alive .. They are very beautifully made , in more than ways than one .. Appreciate yah..!

[@77DrThompson77]

Looks concentric to me.

[@censusgary]

An interesting thing about natural plant-based lacquer is that most people are allergic to it. The sap lacquer is derived from contains an irritant called umushiol, which is also the active substance in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac- all of which belong to the same genus as the lacquer plant. However, an estimated 15 to 30 per cent of the human population is insensitive to umushiol. Lacquer workers belong to the immune minority, either by heredity or due to some sort of gradual desensitization.

[@andrearueger6872]

Cured urushi isn't dangerous anymore. Quite the opposite actually. But in it's fluid state it's very potent, and will give you a rash you'll never forget so fast :-)

[@sir-newt]

5:16 to 5:32. Really important lessons in life that I realized a bit earlier than I did.

[@SeraphimKnight]

Hey you! If you like urushi laquerware, go and look at fushimiurushikobo on youtube! He's a japanese craftsman who regularly uploads videos of his processes on making various urushi items. It's super interesting but he has very few views and subscribers. It's worth a watch.

[@fuckugplus]

Hummm like it

[@b.hagedash7973]

Baie lekker.

[@tongmaa]

I have several types of art from oil to watercolor, but the one that gets the most attention is a lacquer ware picture of Koei in a Pond; with detail that seems to bring it to life. :) Such "common art" is so prevalent in Japan, that we sometimes appreciate it less for its ubiquitous presence, than for the beauty it displays or provides :) Don't leave Japan without lacquer ware, art and utensils; plus, enough Noritake china sets to delight every family you intend to give a Christmas gift to that will delight them for years ...:)

[@chriscraven9572]

It's truly a beautiful work of art as well as being a functional item. Could you do a video on the plate 'Dawn' that is in the same display. I found that captivating.

[@gefnuppland4810]

He doesn't sell those ? So how did he makes a living ?

[@noth606]

he sells some to the right people. Japan is a very different place with a different way of thinking, I've been married to a Japanese girl for 5 years now and I still don't really understand the way she thinks or any of them really. Some things yes but others no.

[@fuckugplus]

Guys you should contact david bull

[@Jamie_Pritchard]

Definitely!

[@bumblebeebob]

Apparently there are seven people that don't know beauty when they see it. That's sad.

[@thlee3]

he better have gotten PAID !!!

[@spudpud-T67]

They found some old coins down the back of the sofa, but then had to think about whether or not to pay him. It was Tutankhamun's sofa.

[@diegoa2969]

Please return our Moai!

[@Hartsikasvo]

I’m in awe of the laquerwork, but the woman’s voice is distracting. I’d much prefer to listen to the crafts master only.