Feel the gentle breath of metal through the jewelry
A two-person exhibition by jewelry artist Kayo Saito and photographer Yumiko Miyahama will be held at "MIN GALLERY" from June 20th to 29th, 2025. Although they live in different countries and use different methods of expression, they realized at their first two-person exhibition in the spring of 2022 that they share a certain connection, which led to the realization of their second two-person exhibition.
What the pair attempted to express through their work this time was the various "connections" that organically link everything in the natural world. Through their work, they appeal to the viewer to the complex and beautiful connections that exist everywhere, like mycelium, throughout time, in people's memories, and even deep in the earth we are walking on.
We spoke with Kayo Saito, a jewelry artist who lives with her family in the suburbs of England and has been working as an artist for over 20 years. What are her thoughts as she works on her creations ahead of this exhibition?
Photo: Paul Reed
In his studio. As you would expect from a metal craftsman, the space is filled with various tools, but outside the window is a view of the tranquil English countryside. Sometimes he works silently, other times he spends time playing with his dog, making it a kind of place of relaxation.
The more you look at the intricate metalwork jewelry, the more you'll be captivated
I still remember the first time I saw Kayo Saito's jewelry. I was confused as to how to call her beautiful creations "metal jewelry." It looked like something quietly alive and organic. I wondered if it was a plant I'd never seen before. When I picked it up, I felt the quiet coolness of the metal and the softness of the texture reminiscent of washi paper on my fingertips.
The jewelry and art that quietly embrace you. The pieces created by Saito Kayo, whether they are brooches, chokers or rings, blend in with you like a small plant that has been rooted there for a long time, and you can feel their quiet warmth from the moment you put them on.
Saito's jewelry has an atmosphere that draws you in to the abyss that lies deep within the piece the more you look at it. Even if you stare at it closely, you still have no idea how it was made. When I asked him, he replied with a cheerful smile, "It's definitely not casting (a technique in which molten metal is poured into a mold, cooled and hardened, and then finished)."
"I use techniques such as hammering (a technique in which metal plates are shaped by hammering them into small pieces) and engraving, but I also do a variety of other unique processes, so it's so complicated that it's impossible to answer in one word what technique I used to make them. That's why I call myself a contemporary goldsmith," says Saito.
A "goldsmith" is a craftsman who works with and processes precious metals. There are goldsmiths in Japan, but in the UK and Europe where Saito lives, there is a long history of goldsmithing as a craft for royalty and aristocrats, and the term "precious metal craftsman" now encompasses a wide variety of genres. One could say that Saito's world of work is one in which he has built his own unique territory in the spot where various genres such as contemporary art and fashion, traditional crafts and modern crafts intersect.
For a moment, I wonder, "Is this that flower? Is that plant?" but in the end I don't know what it is. "It's not representational. If there was a correct answer, I feel like it wouldn't work as a creation," says Saito.
Representational but not concrete. Jewelry that moves the heart.
Saito's jewelry has a consistent characteristic from the past to the present. It has an organic texture reminiscent of plants. The mysterious designs are reminiscent of flowers, leaves, seeds, and sometimes shells and seaweed. Even if you think about whether they are figurative or not, you can't find any motifs, so it's a mystery where the ideas come from.
"I don't want to intentionally make it realistic. If I use concrete objects as a motif, I feel like that will inevitably become the final goal. Of course, there are many people who have mastered representational painting and representational art, and that's wonderful. However, when it comes to my work, if I faithfully depict nature, there are many things that cannot be achieved. For example, the nuances and images of scents. My belief is that I want to leave some space somewhere in my work that the wearer can freely absorb. Even if I create something based on the image of seaweed, if the wearer associates it with flowers and loves it, then that's no problem at all. I feel happy when people liken it to something, and ultimately I want the recipient to be free to do what they want." (Saito)
Saito's jewelry boasts a beautiful finish like an objet d'art when viewed as is, but when worn, it feels surprisingly familiar. "I realize that the time I spent working as a designer in Tokyo is now useful," says Saito.
There is another reason why Saito's jewelry is so popular. It is also highly functional. Saito chose jewelry as a form of expression, but unlike art, jewelry is required to be practical as an ornament, so it is true that while it is delicate and beautiful, it also has a large functional aspect. A brooch should not be too heavy and should stay firmly attached to clothing or a hat. A necklace should not twist or turn inside out easily, and earrings and pierced earrings should not hinder movement and fall off easily... Because it is made of metal, careful consideration must be given to the treatment of the edges and surfaces, otherwise it will damage the body or clothing.
The world of Saito's work is one in which he undertakes the mission of combining practicality with artistic quality. However, in order to create jewelry that lifts the spirits of those who see and wear it, Saito says he always values both the expression of an artist and the practical aspects of a designer.
Saito lives in a port town in Kent, about an hour's drive from London. It may be a coincidence, but also a necessity, that a Yokohama native would choose a port town as his second home.
Childhood in Yokohama, attending art school with my mother
Although Saito has been based in the UK and has been active for a long time, he did not simply arrive at his current lifestyle.
Saito-san was born and raised in Yokohama. I was surprised to learn that his first childhood memory was "attending Musashino Art University with his mother."
"After giving birth to me, my mother decided to go to Musashino Art University and majored in oil painting. I guess she had some kind of desire. I think it was a rare case at the time. When I was a child, I remember my mother taking me to university, holding a basket full of sweets, and playing next to my mother as she painted." (Saito)
Saito-san recalls that she was not from a family with any particular connection to art, but instead was from a family that valued freedom. As a child, she was a tomboyish girl who preferred playing outside to staying inside. When I heard the story of the clover necklace that she knitted in the field, I felt that it somehow connected to her current work.
"It wasn't just because it was my mother's alma mater that I chose Musashino Art University, but I also applied to several art universities and ended up going there. I graduated with a degree in metal crafts, and then I got a job at a regular company. I worked as a corporate designer in charge of glassware design. I really enjoyed the work, but I gradually began to feel a desire to create my own work." (Saito)
"The New Jewelry (1994/Ralph Turner & Peter Dormer)"
During his time as an office worker, he experienced the thrill of mass production and the joy of teamwork, but he felt a creative instinct to "try to do everything from design to molding by myself." To release his frustration, he started going to glass studios on weekends and creating his own works. At that time, he happened to come across a book in a bookstore called "The New Jewelry (1994/by Ralph Turner & Peter Dormer)," which became a turning point in his life. This book was about jewelry that was sweeping Europe at the time. It was a departure from fine jewelry, which was mainly intended as a decoration for women, and introduced the way jewelry is freely expressed by artists. This book made a strong impact on Saito.
"I was shocked to find out that such freedom of expression is permitted in the world of jewelry. I wondered why I hadn't known about this world when I was in university. When I read the book carefully, I found out that many of the artists who continue to work in this way have graduated from the Royal College of Art in London, and I began to think that I would like to go there and study again." (Saito)
This is where Saito's challenge began after he quit his job at a glass company and moved to England with the money he had saved.
A long detour to the life of a goldsmith
The Royal College of Art in London. I wondered what kind of specialized subjects he would study there, but Saito's answer was unexpected.
"Of course, we learned about techniques and materials, but more than that, this school placed great importance on dialogue with oneself. This isn't limited to this university, but one important part of the creative process is to look back at yourself, and even when submitting assignments, you are constantly asked "why," including psychological aspects. Who am I? What am I? I started out as a Japanese person and a woman, and when I removed all those constraints, I thought deeply about what kind of existence I am as an individual. This was the hardest assignment I faced at this school." (Saito)
Who am I? It may seem simple, but there is no question more philosophical and difficult than this. The reason why students who aspire to be art and crafts need to ask themselves this question is because the time spent facing this difficult question will show them the path forward. Saito studied metal craft at an art university in Japan and worked on glass as a designer in a company, but after moving to the UK, she began to work mainly with metal while coming into contact with various materials such as washi paper, stone, and wood. However, no matter what material she uses, the color and character of "Kayo Saito" are firmly alive in her work. The reason is that she has perfected a production style in which she constantly questions herself and reflects only what emerges from her inner roots in her work. I feel that before she is a contemporary goldsmith, she is a pure creator.
I continue to search for the "root of life" that is always within me
In this two-person exhibition, Saito, coincidentally, like photographer Yumiko Miyahama, said, "I want to express the organic connections that exist all over the world, like mycelium." She continues to create works that resemble plants with mysterious charm, but the nuances of these works change little by little every year. Petal-like forms, curves reminiscent of stems, textures reminiscent of leaf veins... Everything is connected somewhere, and she continues to express this idea that we humans are the same through various jewelry.
Kayo Saito's jewelry seems to quietly sing of gratitude for being alive. Please come and experience it for yourself at the gallery.
Jewelry Artist
KAYO SAITO
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1969, after graduating from Musashino Art University, he was employed by a domestic glass manufacturer and engaged in design work, but then he returned to creative work and moved to the UK. He graduated with a Master's degree from the Royal College of Art in London. Since then, he has continued to create contemporary jewelry as a Japanese designer based in the UK, winning many prizes. His source of inspiration is the beautiful and delicate life spun out of nature. His unique worldview captivates viewers.
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Text by Mayuko Yamaguchi
Photo by Yumiko Miyahama (works only)
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