Elm Niimi
Lacquerer
Kanazawa, Japan
Layers of hidden lacquer
- Elm's repetitive layering and polishing of lacquer brings her into immersive states
- She favours working with materials such as hirame-fun, nashiji-fun and transparent lacquer
- She won an award at the 82th Kanazawa City Craft Exhibition
Rooted in the rich tradition of urushi, Elm Niimi explores new directions within contemporary laquer art. She studied her craft at the Kanazawa College of Art, and graduated with both a BA then an MFA in 2025. "My practice explores the expressive possibilities of urushi lacquer by bringing together traditional techniques with experimental surface research," Elm says. At the KOGEI Art Fair Kanazawa 2025, she presented a recent work born from the repeated process of togiyaburi, a technique of breaking-through-polishing the layers of lacquer, which randomly reveals the maki-e patterns of the layers beneath. Elm's works frequently emphasise texture, light and subtle variations of colour, unveiling the depth and intrinsic qualities of the material.
INTERVIEW
I began making works that shaped my current style at university. I was fascinated by lacquer’s glossy finish and the depth of its black tones. I created large, undulating wall-mounted works using the dry lacquer technique to explore how gloss and reflections interact with light. I experienced a level of concentration like never before, a feeling I call immersion, which continues to drive my work today.
I was influenced by mandalas and zentangle art in middle school. Repeating patterns became a meditative practice that now informs my designs for maki-e, a Japanese lacquer decoration technique. I continue to explore repetition while developing more unique patterns, focusing on how lacquer reflects light, and allowing my body's intuition to guide the creation of organic forms.
Lacquer has provided me with a sense of inner solace, and I hope my works can offer viewers moments of relief and contemplation. The deep, mysterious and vibrant qualities of lacquer inspire me, and I aim to convey the emotional and spiritual experience of encountering lacquer’s glossy depth.
In earlier works, I explored repetition through continuous maki-e patterns across the lacquer surface. More recently, I started incorporating togidashi polish over maki-e patterns. In embracing the element of chance inherent to the lacquer process, I seek to develop expressions that emerge from the inherent characteristics of the material itself.
