Stories In Steel Exhibit
October 27th - November 30th, 2014
Toronto
In the spring of 2014, an idea that I'd been nurturing for some time chose that moment to bloom into a full-blown obsession. As most people in our community know, Japanese swords and sword fittings are typically viewed in terms of craft and their functionality. While a case can easily be made for Japanese sword fittings from the late Edo to Meiji periods as being art in a very real sense, cultural disconnection has relegated these wonderful little "paintings" to the dusty corners of the antique craft label (a discussion for another time).
My idea was to find good examples of tsuba in a particular style, make them primarily as studies for my own education, then present them in a recognizeable format. I figured if the traditional ways of examining and studying tsuba were removed and they were put into a more familiar gallery setting, then perhaps the inherent beauty of this style of work can be appreciated by a wider audience.
There was a huge response to the show - I had many wonderful conversations with people about these tsuba and I thank everyone who came out to see what on earth I was doing.
14-10-10 Copy of a Higo tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 80mm x 82mm x 4mm. Private collection (RR), Canada.
14-10-10 Interpretation of an antique tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 77mm x 78mm x 4mm. Private collection (EC), Germany.
14-10-10 Copy of an Akasaka tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 80mm x 81mm x 4mm. Private collection (KB), Poland.
14-10-10 Copy of an Akasaka tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 79mm x 84mm x 4mm. Private collection (KB), Poland.
14-10-10 Copy of an Akasaka tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 81mm x 85mm x 4mm. Private collection (PH), Ireland.
14-10-10 Copy of an Akasaka tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate with copper sekigane. 79mm x 84mm x 4mm. Private collection (KB), Poland.
14-10-10 Copy of an Akasaka tsuba made for the "Stories in Steel" exhibit, October 27th-November 30th, Toronto. Steel plate. 79mm x 81mm x 4mm. Private collection (GC), UK.