Connecting the long history of stone to the present
A new yet nostalgic form of beauty
MIN GALLERY will be holding a two-person exhibition by precious stone sculptor Koji Takuma and glass artist Tsuyoshi Tsujino from March 19th to 30th , 2025 .
Tsujino, who continues to experiment with new glass works, will exhibit some of his most representative series to date. Meanwhile, Takuma, who is attempting unprecedented expression using a technique of carving out stone (quartz), creates works that shine a spotlight on the beauty of natural forms that exist within transparency. The commonalities between quartz and glass are reminiscent of their transparency and sparkle, but the works of the two artists are also somewhat similar in that they give the impression of a long time having been created over time.
This is an exhibition of works by two artists, one of which is crystal and the other is glass. This is Tsujino's first joint exhibition, and for Takuma, this is almost his first exhibition. We hope you will look forward to the new inspiration that will be born from the collision of these two different personalities.
We asked each artist about their thoughts ahead of the two-person exhibition. Following on from Tsujino in the first part, this time we will talk to Koji Takuma. On this day, we visited Takuma Jewelry Sculpture in Kofu. We went to meet Takuma, who has been working with crystal and agate here for generations.
The Takuma Jewelry Sculpture atelier is currently undergoing construction ahead of its planned renewal in the spring of 2025. Even amid the rows of old tools and the deafening noise of construction, Takuma Koji and the other polishers look on with seriousness as they work on the stones.
From an early age, I was surrounded by crystal and agate stones.
I visited Kofu at the end of January . With the two-person exhibition scheduled for March, the production of the works was finally reaching its climax. At the end of the year, I visited the atelier in Nanki Shirahama, Wakayama to meet Tsuyoshi Tsujino, the other person in the two-person exhibition, and Takuma's feelings about this two-person exhibition became even stronger and more intense.
For Takuma, this two-person exhibition is his first attempt. Not only does he have a long career as a jeweler, but he was also born into a family of craftsmen called "Takuma Jewelry Sculpture", so he was surrounded by crystal and agate raw stones from an early age. Given his circumstances, it is a bit surprising that this is his first exhibition in Japan.
"I've been surrounded by stones all my life. But my feelings about stones and my work may have changed little by little. We run a manufacturing company called 'Takuma Jewelry Sculptures,' in Kofu, a city with a thriving jewelry industry. My father, who studied under my uncle before going independent, founded the company 60 years ago, and I'm the second generation. Until my father's generation, the main production was ornaments and the like. At the time, there was a lot of demand for them. When I confessed that I wanted to work with stones as well, he told me, 'Demand will probably decrease in the future, so you should aim for metal processing,' and I did indeed train there. In the end, when I was over 25 , I really wanted to work with stones so I talked to my father directly, and finally I joined the family business." (Takuma)
If you listen carefully to the voice coming from the stone,
"Takuma Jewelry Sculpture" has a gallery separate from the studio. This is a place that Takuma and his team created with an eye to the future. In an atmosphere reminiscent of a museum overseas, old documents and stone specimens are lined up.
Although he finally got the job he had always wanted, Takuma's search for a new direction continued for a long time. This may have been due to the times rather than his own circumstances. Quartz is a very familiar gemstone, but I feel that there is an unconscious "frame" in people's minds about what can be done with quartz.
Takuma himself has been working with stones as "products" to be delivered as ornaments and jewelry parts. At times, he felt the urge to express his own feelings more, but this is the family business. He has continued to do so silently. During that time, stones have been a presence that sends out a variety of messages.
"Crystal is mined all over the world and is not that rare. However, its characteristics vary greatly depending on the place and time it was mined. While many people treasure it as jewelry, there are also many enthusiasts who simply admire the raw stones, and I am one of them. I often go overseas to purchase raw materials, and as I look at them, I am gradually overwhelmed by the inherent power of the stones... I can't help but want them." (Takuma)
The evidence of the Earth's slow growth is packed into the gemstone
The numerous wooden boxes placed haphazardly in the gallery are filled with gemstones that emit beautiful colors and light. Takuma-san talks fondly about each one, saying that he has memories of encountering them.
Quartz is a mysterious stone, and it is said that it has grown over an unimaginable period of time, about 15 million years. It grows at a rate of about 1 mm per 100 years . During the growth process, or due to crustal movements that occur during that time, various inclusions are formed inside the stone.
Looking closely at the rough stones, you can see a wealth of expression, including pale folds resembling tree rings that appear as the stones grow, gases and liquids that have seeped in, and other minerals. As the saying goes, "a gem is flawed," and crystals that are clear and free of inclusions were originally considered to be highly valuable, but in Takuma's eyes, even these flaws are no longer seen as flaws, but as the stone's individuality and irresistible charm.
As his interest in stones grew, Takuma decided to try to express the character of stones in a straightforward manner, which led to his signature series, "Garden."
"This piece is neither a figurine nor a piece of jewelry. The rough stone used is easily the size of two fists or more, and the work begins with cutting it out. However, from my perspective, I determine the inclusions while looking at the rough stone and imagine the finished product. In short, the time it takes to decide what to leave and what to cut away is the biggest challenge in creating a garden, and it takes a long time that cannot be measured in labor alone. I start by cutting out the flawed part, rinsing it with water many times along the way, then looking at it... I repeat this process until the piece is complete. Because it is stone, it sometimes breaks during the process, but once that happens, there is no way to put it back together no matter what you do. It makes me feel hopeless." (Takuma)
A collection of works that convey messages even more powerfully than raw stones
The new model features a vertically extending shape. Compared to the previous model (far left) which had a tapered bottom, the difference in shape is subtle but gives a very different impression.
Garden is a mysterious work in the shape of a sake cup. It has a polygonal pyramid shape, and the beauty of nature contained within it seems to tell the story of time trapped in the crystal, and it seems to send out more messages than a raw stone. Naturally, there are no two pieces with the same design. Some are clear, but if you look closely, you will see that they are slightly covered in colors such as smoked amber and lavender, and there is something about them that makes you feel mysterious the more you look at them.
Until now, the main focus has been on a silhouette that is slightly slender at the bottom, but this time, a new straight 12- sided shape will be unveiled. Although it is only a slight difference, it creates a big difference in the presence. In addition to this, crystals reminiscent of antique medicine bottles will also be on display. The sight of them all lined up together will surely be a spectacular sight.
Stones are a gift from the earth. I firmly believe that I cannot fail.
The raw stone is illuminated and carefully considered as to what to cut and what to leave. "The most time is spent thinking," says Takuma, but the carving process is also a very time-consuming process.
Takuma says that seeing his partner in this two-person exhibition, Tsujino Tsuyoshi, at work made him realise many things in new ways.
"I thought that glass and quartz have a lot in common, like transparency and sparkling light. I know Tsujino-san and personally admire his beautiful works. However, when I was shown his studio this time, something struck me. Unlike glass, which is assembled from individual parts, my stone work is completed only by carving. I felt that this was a big difference. With a little ingenuity, glass works can be completed into masterpieces. In contrast, with quartz, the only technique allowed is "carving and polishing". They just get smaller and smaller." (Takuma)
The key to his craft is finding a way to turn these gifts from the Earth into works that don't go to waste, but he also says he was drawn to the material glass, which allows for free creativity.
The hidden theme of this two-person exhibition is an endless yearning for the time axis
Although the form is similar, Takuma's work is surprising in how much the expression changes depending on the stone. When you pick it up, you can feel the comfortable weight of the stone, the smoothness of the stone surface, and the quiet coolness.
However, at the same time, Takuma says he also made another "happy discovery."
"Mr. Tsujino was trying to find a way to give glass, a material, a universal time axis. Unlike stones, where eternal time seems to reside in the inclusions, glass does not have this.
"I was impressed to learn that we were both conscious of things that do not exist in our own materials, and were thinking about how to express time in our work. I have a longing for the overlapping of time, and I thought that the sparkling inclusions in crystal would embody that. Tsujino saw the potential in the expressions that appear on the silvered surface of Roman glass, and when I learned that he was trying to incorporate that into his own work, I thought, 'Ah, we're looking at the same thing.'" (Takuma)
Both Tsujino and Takuma express themselves through their works, but there is no hint of self-showing. What can be felt is their love for the materials and their reverence for the immense existence of time, which humans cannot do anything about. Many of the works themselves are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but the scale of the world they express is immeasurable.
What kind of newness will emerge from the two artists' works being displayed side by side in one place? We hope you will enjoy this joint exhibition.
The process of carving the inside of the cut crystal is carried out by turning a grinding machine while applying water and fine sand, slowly and carefully chipping away at the stone. This process alone takes several days.
Precious stone carver
Koji Takuma
Born in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture. He fuses traditional techniques handed down from ancient times with modern sensibilities to create works that bring out the individuality of stone to the fullest. His work is characterized by delicate and sophisticated beauty of form, and he continues to challenge himself to create expressions that go beyond the boundaries of traditional crafts.
Text by Mayuko Yamaguchi
Photo by Yumiko Miyahama