Collection: Masao Seki

Masao Seki | 関昌生

Shigatsu-no-sakana | 四月の魚

Ukiha, Fukuoka, Japan

Seki trained himself as a buyer of Japanese antiques by participating in the auctions for many years before opening his own gallery. This gave him the curatorial eyes and the signature undertone of his collections –  tiny, humble objects sometimes almost decaying, but in an inexplicable way unique and invaluable. 

Shigatsuno Sakana, his shop and the house in the center of Ukiha, quickly became a pilgrimage site for art critics and crafts fans, some of whom traveled all the way from Tokyo, others even relocated to his neighborhood. 

His wireworks started as an unintentional byproduct, or more of a pass time when he was playing with the bundle of wires he found in an old warehouse. Whenever you visit his shop, he would be creating figures and products with a nipper on his hand. 

Seki’s style of creation is completely freehand. As he starts, intricate geometric objects or fantastic scenes would gradually take shape in the lines of wire, as if he is dictating an imaginary story.

The motifs are often humorous and nostalgic, like a series of circus sets, comical aliens and a nowhere townscape, all gentle and spicily poetic as if reflecting Seki’s inner world.

This subtle balance between impeccable accuracy and the nonchalant easiness makes his works distinctive. No matter how humble each piece may seem, they exude unmistakable presence in the places you find his works – in an art gallery or a high-end restaurant – adding a tint of poetry to the space.