Yasuki Hiramatsu, the Famous Metal Smith

Yasuki Hiramatsu, the famous metal smith for jewelry was born in Osaka, Japan in 1926 and currently lives in Tokyo, Japan. He obtained his graduation in 1952 from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts & Music. Having experienced military life as a student soldier during World War II, Hiramatsu became acutely sensitive to the challenges of life. Wishing to create something truly valuable to human life, he had focused his efforts on producing crafts and jewelry that, through their use, bring joy and happiness into everyday life.

He had a prestigious career as an educator and has been Professor Emeritus at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He has also been the Director of the Japan Jewelry Designers Association. He actively promoted interactions with other countries, which won him a lot of international recognition. In 1994, he became the first non-European winner of the award presented to an outstanding foreign artist in the field of metal working by the German association for the promotion of precious metal art.

Hiramatsu hammered pieces of 23-karat gold into thin sheets, produced crinkles by folding and bending and fashioned them into simple forms. Metals are generally considered heavy and hard, but he handled these materials like paper to create clearly defined forms that bring out unprecedented beauty and gentleness in the metal [1]. Yasuki Hiramatsu is a pioneer of contemporary jewelry in Japan. He has explored and re-interpreted traditional metalworking skills in order to create modern art.

Hiramatsu?s works radiate simplicity, purity and strength. Concentrating on textures, form and light, his pieces capture an inner beauty and warmth that seem to come alive as light gently reflects across the surface. His jewelries show not only the softness and warmth of the metal by using more gold and silver than regular jewelry but also the shapes he creates. His innovative skills and capabilities made him to be internationally acclaimed as a leading artist in postwar Japan, especially in the field of jewelry.

Yasuki says that “I consider the metals like living things when I use them. When I make a piece, I play, worry, struggle with it and encourage it. “[2]. Throughout Hiramatsu?s distinguished career, he has conducted several solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, workshops and lectures. His works are available in several public collections and he possesses several awards. He took part in several projects organized/funded by the culturebase. et partner institutions too. His solo and group exhibitions used to showcase a series of his representative jewelry work alongside various other items such as vases, paperweights and even crowns. Although his forms are simple, there is always an underlying sense of glamour. These exhibitions provided viewers with an opportunity to take a look back at Hiramatsu’s career that ps half a century [3].

References
[1] Hiramatsu Yasuki, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.quicklink.co.jp/jj/jj_03.html
[2] The international artist database, (2003, May 26), Yasuki Hiramatsu, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?628
[3] Tokyo Artbeat Bilingual Art and Design Guide, Yasuki Hiramatsu Exhibition, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/event/2008/A6E6.en
[4] Preziosa Contemporary Jewellery, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.preziosa.org/it/2009/artisti/yasuki-hiramatsu.html
[5] Yasuki Hiramatsu – Metal Works, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.tortoiselife.com/trts/exhibitions/current/metal-works-by-yasuki-hiramats.html
[6] Galerie Slavik, Yasuki Hiramatsu, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.galerie-slavik.com/cgi-local/e_ishop/storeeng.pl?f=KUENSTLER;c=Yasuki+Hiramatsu;t=suche;db=schmuck.txt;start=1;dif=16
[7] Yasuki Hiramatsu – Jewelry: The Essence of Form, Retrieved April 28,2010 from http://www.momat.go.jp/english/craft/YasukiHiramatsu/