Otake Ryoho: the wizard of woodsculpting

[thomas]

Today, by chance, I happened to watch an NHK World feature on Ōtake Ryōho (大竹亮峯), a true master of woodcarving who has elevated the art to another level.

Bio (from his website):

After admiring wood sculptures from a young age, Ryoho Otake bought an expensive carving blade with the money he received for the New Year from his parents, and he used the blade to carve into his desk at school. Otake, who said that the teachers could not get angry at him once they saw his level of craftsmanship, is a wood sculpture master through and through. In 2009, instead of going to an art school, he graduated from the technical school, TASK, and with a need to master the skills of wood sculpture further, became a pupil of Katsuhiro Higashi, a teacher who created wooden relief sculptures (miyabori) in Hida-Takayama. He became independent from his teacher after about three years of training. Later, he began to produce life-like (jizai) works by carving marvellous work out of a single block of wood, alongside using his own completely original wood sculpture techniques.

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His wooden models of crustaceans are breathtaking. They are fully movable and anatomically true to the most minute detail.

Spectacled Manju Crab (眼鏡饅頭蟹):

眼鏡饅頭蟹｜WORKS｜木彫刻家 大竹亮峯｜Wood Sculptor Ryoho Otake

WORKS - 木彫刻家 大竹亮峯は木の中から生まれるべくものを探しながら素材と対話し、国の文化、伝統に助けられながら制作しております。Wood sculptor Ryoho Otake is on a continuous search for things that should come into being from wood while staying in dialogue with the material, and produces works while being supported by the culture and traditions of the country.

japanese-sculpture.com

Japanese spiny lobster (Kamakura ebi, 鎌倉海老):

「鎌倉海老」｜WORKS｜木彫刻家 大竹亮峯｜Wood Sculptor Ryoho Otake

WORKS - 木彫刻家 大竹亮峯は木の中から生まれるべくものを探しながら素材と対話し、国の文化、伝統に助けられながら制作しております。Wood sculptor Ryoho Otake is on a continuous search for things that should come into being from wood while staying in dialogue with the material, and produces works while being supported by the culture and traditions of the country.

japanese-sculpture.com

His most famous work is the Bamboo Daffodil (竹の水仙), which took him four years to complete. The blossoms open when watered.

竹の水仙　〔掛花入〕｜WORKS｜木彫刻家 大竹亮峯｜Wood Sculptor Ryoho Otake

WORKS - 木彫刻家 大竹亮峯は木の中から生まれるべくものを探しながら素材と対話し、国の文化、伝統に助けられながら制作しております。Wood sculptor Ryoho Otake is on a continuous search for things that should come into being from wood while staying in dialogue with the material, and produces works while being supported by the culture and traditions of the country.

japanese-sculpture.com

See the video below:

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The NHK feature on Mr Otake can be watched here:

Breathing Life into Wood Sculptures: Otake Ryoho / Wood Sculptor - Direct Talk | NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Otake Ryoho creates meticulously detailed wood sculptures modeled on the shapes of natural motifs such as animals and plants. He talks about his work, including a carving of a flower that "blooms."

www3.nhk.or.jp

木彫なのに開花する月下美人、動く蟹…　超絶技巧が生み出す命の世界：朝日新聞デジタル

一晩しか咲かないはかない花、月下美人。だが、この月下美人は咲き続ける。花器に水を注ぐと、2～3分かけてゆっくりと開花していく。白い花びらが透き通るように美しい。本物と見まがうような出来栄えだが、実は…

www.asahi.com

Link:

Otake Ryoho - Wood Sculptor

Breathing Life into Wood Sculptures: Otake Ryoho, wood sculptor

jref.com