Satoshi Ikuta: The Pursuit of "Glass Art"

2020/08/21

I am active in the creation of etched glass and stained glass within the field of glass crafts. My themes are "Nature" and "The Future," and I strive for expressive representations based on sensibility rather than simply depicting plants or landscapes realistically. I believe it is important to have the ambition to research and develop new, advanced techniques that surpass traditional works, and to apply the skills acquired through diligent effort to my creations.

I have been blessed with many encounters and good fortune in both my public and private life. Togo Murano's architectural design office was located near my childhood home in Osaka. My father used to say, "One day, shortly after our company was founded (1931), Mr. Murano dropped by alone. He took a liking to the etched glass we were prototyping and visited frequently. He used many of our pieces in the Sogo Department Store Shinsaibashi Main Store he was designing, which gave us confidence and built the foundation of our company." Growing up watching my father, a pioneer of etched glass, work diligently with glass every day, I felt a sense of awe and decided to follow the same path.

During my university years, I developed an interest in Western culture and joined the French Culture Research Society. I went on a long-term training program in Europe, and the experience of seeing authentic decorative glass there has contributed to the expansion of our architectural stained glass business to this day. Along with creating original works, I have also worked on many restoration projects for decorative glass from the early Showa era, such as the stained glass restoration during the reconstruction of the Osaka Securities Exchange Building, and the restoration of the large ceilings and windows of the Osaka Prefectural Government Main Building and the Sumitomo Bank Head Office. When disassembling for restoration, the traces of ingenuity in reinforcement methods become clear, and I wish to pass on the wisdom and passion of that era to future generations.

I have also been blessed with opportunities to interact with artists from all over Japan and abroad. Friendships with many first-class craftspeople have allowed me to personally experience the depth of the crafts. In particular, through mutual visits to workshops with seniors and colleagues from the Arts Division of the Junior Chamber International Japan, I was able to touch upon the essence of secret techniques. The spiritual theories of Bizen ware masters Yu Fujiwara and Michiaki Kaneshige, conversations at the home of glass artist Toshichi Iwata, and the atmosphere of visiting the Urasenke Konnichian were exceptionally resonant and irreplaceable experiences. When I was nominated as the 18th Chairperson of the Arts Division, everyone supported me warmly. I learned that those who excel in their craft also have world-class hearts, and are intellectual and compassionate.

I want to continue this pursuit in the future—.

To further practice "the pursuit of sophisticated glass art," I will continue to strive for the development and popularization of glass crafts with "joy and gratitude for my calling." (Please search for "Ikuta Glass")