About the series

The genesis for this series was spawned entirely from the silkscreened pattern of the swirling river and soaring cranes. Was there a way to create an enclosure that highlighted the pattern itself and communicated the auspicious symbolism of the red color?

The initial attempts for an elegant shape and clean construction failed — spine cracking, the red “reveal” too narrow, the lid not closing properly. Still, enough of the work was successful to persevere until the result — five attempts later — is the series shown here.

And because the primary activity happens on the outside of the Kobako, the inside becomes a quiet place for the eye to rest.