Collection: HIroyuki Shinohara
Hiroyuki Shinohara | 篠原洋之
Ukiha, Fukuoka, Japan
After enrolling in the Nihonga (Japanese painting) program at Kanazawa College of Art and Crafts, Shinohara was drawn to the potential of bamboo as a material, which led him to pursue a path in bamboo crafts. Following graduation, he studied this genre of craft in Oita Prefecture, a region known for bamboo products. After several years of learning, he moved to the mountainous area of Ukiha City, where he found a hut with a ground (originally a recreational facility for local seniors) that met his criteria of having an adjacent forest where bamboo could be harvested from and enough space for immediate processing.
Originally starting his career as an artist, Shinohara has actively participated in international art festivals. He has participated multiple times in international art festivals in South Korea, and in 2023, he performed in an art event in Italy, where he created large bamboo lighting and constructed a space for tea ceremonies using bamboo sourced from the local forest. Artists who collaborated with Shinohara in such events have continued to visit him in Japan, maintaining ongoing exchanges.
When creating elaborate large-scale installations during these events, Shinohara demonstrates both originality and improvisation as an artist. Simultaneously, he is a craftsman capable of creating delicate craftworks that can only be achieved through accumulated training.
Taking advantage of a lifestyle in Ukiha, where he can harvest fresh green bamboo from the mountain, Shinohara produces large sieves, an essential tool for sake breweries, the creator of which are rare to find nationwide. Additionally, Shinohara possesses high-level skills to craft delicate tools used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
Understanding the characteristics of natural materials, considering seasonal changes in material conditions, and selecting bamboo from the mountain, Shinohara’s bamboo products, crafted with honed skills, receive constant and numerous orders.