Shoko Taruma

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1991. Graduated from the Master’s Program in Crafts (Lacquer Art) at the Graduate School of Arts, Kyoto City University of Arts. 

The Japanese people have long nurtured a sensitivity to finding beauty within “darkness” while cherishing nature. Captivated by this aesthetic and the profound depth of lacquer’s black, Tsuruma expresses the fusion of fluid, free-form shapes and the “shadows” that merge into darkness through contemporary sculpture. When his works were displayed in a room featuring the sliding door paintings of the Kano school, a designated Important Cultural Property, the allure and presence of lacquer’s gloss were enhanced by the dim light. Recently, he has also been creating works that harmonize lacquer with porcelain from Imari and Jingdezhen, incorporating the timeless beauty of Japan and East Asia into his unique artistic style.