Large Contemporary Japanese Bamboo Sculptural Basket Kawano Shoko

A beautiful bamboo sculpture in an Ikebana basket form by contemporary Japanese bamboo artist Kawano Shoko (born 1957-). The piece was made in 2005 and purchased from Tai Modern in 2009. The voluminous basket features the signature style of the artist featuring a swelled body with a sense of geometrical tension as it morphs from a rectangular base to an oval body. It was finely woven in a tight twill plaiting technique that follows the change of the contour. The rim of the basket, as well as the four feet underneath, were reinforced with bundled plaiting with delicate rattan ties. Two bended bamboo stalks were made into a branded handle, asymmetrically placed above the opening to provide a visual contrast with the uniform weaving on the body. The beauty of this piece is manifested by the interesting form the basket takes. Although the body is globular with expanded and rounded volume, it gradually morphs to a rectangular base with a tensioned arch. As a result, the appearance is unexpected with a surprisingly lightness that feels almost contradictory to its generous volume. This form is a signature of the artist's work in recent years, and it demands a high mastery of the technique. This large and impressive piece with the meticulous execution requires an utmost desire to perfection and exemplifies the extraordinary skill of the artist. The basket is signed "Shoko" on the base.
Kawano Shoko was born in 1957 on Kyushu Island and he studied under Morigami Jin in Oita. He won the Cotsen Bamboo Price in 2002.