The Japanese Embassy in Abu Dhabi held a lecture and demonstration on Owari Cloisonne, a Japanese traditional art form, on Tuesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE.
A ceramic item with a silver streak and a metallic glaze is called Owari Cloisonne. It was first made using a cloisonne ware manufacturing process in Japan in the early 19th century. Cloisonne is still created using the same age-old methods and supplies that skilled artisans have handed down from generation to generation.
Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, the founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, as well as diplomats and admirers of Japanese culture, attended the event. Takayuki Ikeda, a renowned craftsman of Owari Cloisonne, demonstrated how to paint the motifs on cloisonne goods while Shigeyuki Ando, president of Ando Cloisonne, discussed the appeal of Owari Cloisonne.
The talk examined the history and art of the distinctively colored Japanese enamelware and attempts to update the tradition into products that may be used in contemporary society.