Radiant Bronze: The Timeless Art of Koji Hatakeyama

Thomsen Gallery is proud to present Radiant Bronze: The Timeless Art of Koji Hatakeyama, an exhibition of work by Japan’s leading master of metal art. Opening on November 6 and running through November 26, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the meditative beauty and spiritual depth of Hatakeyama’s cast bronze vessels, which have captivated audiences across Japan and around the world.

Born in 1956 in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture—a region renowned for its centuries-old bronze-casting tradition—Hatakeyama has spent over four decades refining his practice. After graduating from the Department of Metalwork at nearby Kanazawa College of Arts and Crafts in 1980, he returned to his hometown to establish a studio where he continues to live and work. From 2017 to 2022, he also served as Professor of Metal Casting at Kanazawa College of Art, mentoring the next generation of Japanese metal artists.

Hatakeyama’s work is deeply rooted in history, drawing inspiration from ancient Mesopotamian bronze techniques while remaining unmistakably contemporary. He refers to bronze as “a material with memories of a thousand years,” and his reverence for its transformative power is evident in every piece. His signature creations, lidded bronze boxes ranging in size from about four to eleven inches, are minimalist and geometric in form yet rich in meaning. Although Japanese connoisseurs sometimes use them to store incense wood or powdered matcha tea for the tea ceremony, for Hatakeyama these vessels transcend function: “Every article I make should live,” he says, underscoring his belief in the spiritual vitality of objects.

Each of his creations begins by pouring molten bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) into a mold. Hatakeyama then uses modified versions of traditional Japanese patination techniques, applying miso paste and vinegar to spark chemical reactions that result in earthy tones and abstract textures. These patterned and faceted surfaces evoke stylized landscapes—quiet meditations on time, place, and memory. Inside, the vessels are lined with meticulously applied gold or silver foil, symbolizing a radiant inner world untouched by darkness.

The exhibition features twenty works that highlight the artist’s mastery of form and surface. Visitors will encounter vessels that seem to breathe with life, their patinas shifting subtly in the light, their interiors glowing with gold or silver. The installation is designed to encourage slow looking and reflection, offering a moment of stillness in a fast-paced world.

Professor Hatakeyama’s work has been exhibited widely, including at COLLECT in London, SOFA in New York, the National Design and Craft Gallery, Kilkenny (Ireland), the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh and the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen. In 2012, his larger works were featured in a landmark exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Arts and Crafts in Tokyo.

His pieces are held in prestigious permanent collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum in London, the Musée Guimet in Paris, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many institutions in Europe and Japan including the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.