Contemporary Japanese Bamboo Sculptural Ikebana Kawano Shoko

A large woven bamboo basket form ikebana called "Richness" beautiful bamboo by contemporary Japanese bamboo artist Kawano Shoko (born 1957-) circa 2002 and purchased from Tai Modern in 2003 (with a copy of original invoice). The voluminous basket features the signature style of the artist with a swelled body, and it was finely woven in a tight twill plaiting technique that follows the contour. The rim of the basket was constructed with bundled plaiting with delicate rattan ties and ornamental twining was added to the upper part of the body, adding a further touch of elegance. Like the baskets the artist made during this period, the subtle beauty of this piece is manifested by the interesting form the basket takes. Although the body is globular with expanded and rounded shoulders, it gradually morphs to a hexagon base woven with contrasting wider bamboo stripes in a striking clematis plating. As a result, the appearance is unexpected with a surprisingly lightness. This achievement of this form demands a high mastery of the technique.
The basket is signed "Shoko" on the base. It comes with a lacquered bamboo container for ikebana arrangement, a wood tomobako with title outside and Artist's signature and seal under the lid.
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.