Urushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer
Image creditOrder, box, by Terumasa Ikeda, 2024, Kanazawa, Japan © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

At a glance

An ancient tree resin becomes a language for contemporary sculpture, luminous surfaces and objects that can take months to perfect.

Why go

Used in Japan for more than 7,000 years, urushi is often associated with polished boxes, vessels and decorative objects. This exhibition shows how contemporary artists are taking the material far beyond those familiar forms. Featuring work by more than 40 Japanese lacquer artists—including several designated Living National Treasures—it offers an unusual opportunity to compare inherited techniques with experimental sculpture, abstraction and contemporary imagery.

You'll see

Sculptures, vessels, boxes and wall-mounted works by established masters and emerging artists. Traditional processes such as maki-e, in which metallic powder is applied to wet lacquer. Raden, using iridescent shell inlay to create colour, pattern and reflected light.

Artlovers Tip

A hidden V&A highlight—especially for anyone fascinated by materials and craftsmanship.

Inside the exhibition

Description

Urushi Now celebrates the 40th anniversary of the V&A’s Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art by presenting lacquer as a living contemporary medium. Curated by Masami Yamada, it brings together leading practitioners from different generations and regions of Japan.

Urushi is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The material is refined, applied in numerous thin layers and cured under controlled conditions of warmth and humidity. Each layer may require further polishing before the next is added, making the process slow, technically demanding and difficult to reverse.

Exhibition

Urushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer

More infoFree
Design

Artlovers relevance

30-45 mins

Plan your visit

V&A South Kensington

London, United Kingdom

4.8· 67,369 reviews

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London, United Kingdom

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