Hideto Hyodo

Plastic sculptor

The poetry of acrylic

Hideto has developed a completely new aesthetic with acrylic
He is a founding member of the artisan collective Modern Manufacturers' Party in Japan
Acrylic is one of the most durable and transparent types of plastic

Hideto Hyodo is an acrylic artisan and artist who, after studying interior design in college, apprenticed with his father, a sculptor who owned an acrylic studio in Tokyo. Ranging from merchandise and commercial displays to reimagined traditional objects such as Japanese tea ceremony tools, Hideto's works are made from acrylic using many different techniques. He puts the versatility of acrylic to the test to create organic forms and delicate expressions of nature such as ripples on water surfaces, as well as produce precise geometric forms with vibrant colours and gradients. With a marvellous sense of creativity and humour, he handcrafts each piece and incorporates traditional Japanese aesthetics and philosophies into his work. By doing so, he transforms the industrial material into a poetic creative medium.

Interview

What inspires your work?: Traditional Japanese aesthetic that values imperfection and ambiguity, and leaves space for the viewer's imagination. Traditional styles and motifs found in shrines and temples, and folk crafts from the Edo period also inspire my work.
How would describe your craft and the material you use?: My craft is about turning industrial materials into something of true value and transforming them to become universal objects. I believe that the versatility of acrylic allows one to be playful and express fantastical ideas.
How does the region in which you work as an acrylic craftsman influence your work?: My studio is in an upmarket residential area where small traditional town factories still manufacture in collaboration with each other. Being close to Shibuya-ward, central to fashion and design, commissions from various industries have challenged me to create non-traditional acrylic pieces.
Do you believe that your craft is facing a crisis?: Since the current trend is not positive toward plastic, I feel that creating acrylic work with value will be key to the future of this craft. By using acrylic to bring a fresh perspective to traditional Japanese crafts, I seek to elevate the symbolic value of acrylic work.

Hideto Hyodo is a master artisan: he began his career in 2000 and he started teaching in 2006