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Rings of Time, Layers of Beauty
A Cup of Tea and the Memory of Craft
2026.4.24 ~ 2026.8.30
中川 周士 ／ 素材：木、サイズ：cm
Art Space Fukujuen is a place where the aesthetic sensibility cultivated through Japanese tea culture intersects with contemporary art, giving rise to meaningful dialogue. Rooted in the sense of fulfillment one feels after enjoying a generous bowl of tea, the space invites visitors to experience a quiet richness in everyday life — through moments spent with tea and works of art.
This exhibition presents the collaborative work of ki-oke woodcraft artisan Shuji Nakagawa and Antiques Art Masa, whose practices explore how art and craft can bring beauty and depth into daily living through the culture of tea.
Beauty extends the life of objects. It is precisely because something is beautiful that we continue to use it. This exhibition brings together two practitioners who embody the idea that craftsmanship endures through beauty.
In this exhibition, Nakagawa presents the very layers of time as his work — formed through an ongoing process of engaging with materials, thinking through the hands, and making decisions through practice.
Nothing in wood is wasted. Each piece carries its own necessity.
We work with what is given by nature, use it fully, repair it, and pass it forward.
— Shuji Nakagawa
This philosophy of sustainable craftsmanship resonates deeply with the quiet act of preparing tea—an everyday ritual that brings clarity and balance to the mind.
Responding to this shared sensibility, Antiques Art Masa reinterprets antique objects by extracting the essence and textures shaped across time. Through a distinctive process of selection and transformation, these materials are elevated into artworks that enrich contemporary life.
We invite you to experience the beauty created through this collaboration.
A work is not complete at the moment it is made.
From the hands of the artisan to the life of the user objects continue to evolve.
As the exhibition unfolds across the floors of Fukujuen Kyoto Main Store, imagine the process by which tools grow through use, accumulating layers of memory and meaning in the hands of those who live with them.
We invite you to discover, through all five senses, the reason why beauty deepens over time.
Exhibition Period
April 24 (Thu) – August 30 (Sun), 2026
左：中川 周士、木 サイズ：cm
右：Antiques & Art Masa、木 サイズ：cm
Born in Kyoto in 1968, Shuji Nakagawa is a woodcraft artist trained under his father, Seiji Nakagawa, a Living National Treasure. In 2003 he founded Nakagawa Mokkougei Hira Workshop. Rooted in the traditional ki-oke craft passed down since the Muromachi period, Nakagawa expands the possibilities of woodcraft through modern design. His work includes collaborations with a world-renowned champagne brand, as well as projects such as the KI-OKE Stool. His work has been presented internationally, including exhibitions for Chanel’s “la Galerie du 19M Tokyo” (2025) and “la Galerie du 19M Paris.”
Biography
Based in Shimogamo, Kyoto, Antiques & Art Masa is an antique dealer and creative studio. Drawing on the textures and essence of objects shaped by time, Masa employs the Japanese concept of mitate—reinterpreting and remaking antique materials into artworks for contemporary living. In addition to creating these works, Masa also produces spatial designs for cafés and hotels.