Yamagishi Kazuio

Yamagishi Kazuo (b. 1954) Born in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Yamagishi studied traditional chinkin techniques under chinkin master Fukumitsu Bunjiro, and Mae Taiho (Living National Treasure 1890-1977,) and also was instructed by Matsuda Gonroku (Living National Treasure 1896-1986) for maki-e technique at the Ishikawa Prefectural Wajima Lacquer Art Technical Training Institute. He then continued to research and work on the techniques, adding his own original ingenuity to its expression, and mastered the technique to a high degree. In addition to mastering these chinkin techniques, he established a style of chinkoku, which uses black for finishes in carved grooves, and actively includes a technique called “chinkin inlay” that was developed in Wajima as an application of chinkin, expanding the possibilities of decorative expression.