Female blacksmith Yuki Okamoto will hold her first solo exhibition in Hiroshima in nine years, starting December 12! Butterfly Effect: Beyond the Butterfly Effect

Yuki Okamoto, "la forgerone decoration," an iron decorator artist (blacksmith) with a studio in Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, will hold the exhibition "Butterfly Effect: Beyond the Butterfly Effect" at the Fukuya Hatchobori Main Store, 7th Floor Art Gallery (Naka-ku, Hiroshima City). Beyond the Butterfly Effect" will be held from December 12, 2024 (Thursday) to December 18, 2024 (Wednesday) at Fukuya Hatchobori Main Store, 7th Floor Art Gallery (Naka-ku, Hiroshima City).

It has been 30 years since Yuki Okamoto became an apprentice and 20 years since her first exhibition. Continuously flapping his wings in small ways led to major events. This will be the first exhibition in Hiroshima in nine years, and will be held for the first time in Hiroshima in order to learn the art of wrought iron, where tatara iron manufacturing and casting flourished, to develop it into an art form and to pass on the techniques to the future, as the number of successors is decreasing in Hiroshima. We hope that this exhibition will be one of the small flaps of wings for the future for everyone who visits the exhibition.

The "Yu" in YUKI OKAMOTO's name is officially written in the old Chinese alphabet.

In the making1

Exhibition details: https://forgerone.com/2024/11/01/%e3%80%8cbutterfly-effect-%e3%80%9c%e3%83%90%e3%82%bf%e3%83%95%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a4%e3%82%a8%e3 %83%95%e3%82%a7%e3%82%af%e3%83%88%e3%81%ae%e3%81%9d%e3%81%ae%e5%85%88%e3%81%ab%e3%80%8d/

Atelier

(1) An Event Caused by a Small Flap of Wings

Thirty years ago, when Yuki Okamoto first set her sights on becoming an iron decorator artist (blacksmith), she was continually turned down as an apprentice because she thought it was too difficult for a woman to become one. However, she resigned from her job at a securities company and continued to apply for an apprenticeship for several months. Okamoto has never graduated from an art college or other vocational school, but she has flapped her tiny little wings and has continued to work tirelessly.

As a result, in 2022, he created a large objet d'art (7m) for the entrance hall of Hiroshima City Asa City Hospital, a hanging objet d'art (2m) on the first floor of the Hirogin Holdings headquarters building at the Hiroshima Bank Head Office, and others. Overseas, he collaborated with ULGADOR, a French foil brand with the title of national treasure, and participated in the exhibition of a castle in France (2021) and the Grand Palais in Paris (2022). In addition, Yuki Okamoto has collaborated with Triumph International on a series of TV programs broadcast nationwide, and has appeared in commercials for Shiseido Elixir Superior and Suntory Kinmugi (Hiroshima version).

Work 1

(2) Iron, Hiroshima, and the Transmission of Technology

Although blacksmithing is said to have continued in Japan since the Kofun period, there are fewer craftsmen hammering iron by hand now that press machines are the mainstream. However, in Hiroshima, where tatara iron manufacturing and casting flourished, we continue to hammer iron by hand with the hope that the world will learn about the "delicate and light iron" (i.e., iron decoration) that is produced using Japanese blacksmithing techniques, which are not cutlery or tools. We created the object for Hiroshima City Asa City Hospital with an awareness of the rich land of Hiroshima City and the history of the city of Kabe, which thrived on cast iron. I also feel that it is meaningful to be active in order to acquire the skills of wrought iron, for which there are few successors in Japan, and to pass on the techniques to the future.

(3) After 30 years and 20 years, another small butterfly begins to flap its wings

It has been 9 years since our last exhibition in Hiroshima, at the long-established inn "Iwasou" in Miyajima, which was once used as a venue for the G7. We would like to create a work of art that will be a small trigger for everyone who visits the exhibition. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to do press coverage of the exhibition and let as many people as possible know about our activities.

Outline of the exhibition

Event Name: Yuki Okamoto Exhibition "Butterfly Effect: Beyond the Butterfly Effect

Dates: Thursday, December 12, 2024 - Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Time: 10:30 - 19:30 (last day closing at 16:00)

Venue: Fukuya Hatchobori Main Store, 7F Art Gallery

Location: 6-26 Hu-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-8548, Japan

Program ：Forged iron works (about 35 pieces)

Yuki Okamoto

Profile

Yuki Okamoto, La Forgeron Decoration

While working at a securities company, she fell in love with an iron chandelier at first sight and jumped into the world of blacksmithing. In 2019, he made a frying pan as a gift for a friend, and was inundated with requests by word-of-mouth. In 2021, he delivered a 2-meter objet d'art to the first floor of the headquarters building of Hirogin Holdings; in 2022, he delivered a 7-meter objet d'art to Hiroshima City Asa City Hospital; in 2022, he collaborated with ULGADOR of France and exhibited at the Grand Palais in Paris.

A small influence like the flutter of a butterfly's wings continues into the future. I would like to deliver through my works the small triggers that have been spun by the delicate and beautiful expression of iron.

Web: https://forgerone.com

Hiroshima Bank Head Office Hirogin Holdings Head Office Building, 1F Objet

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