Designated a Living National Treasure for tankin metalwork in 1995, Okuyama has worked as a silversmith since leaving his home in Shinjo, Yamagata Prefecture. He excels in the kiribame method, hammering intricate designs onto metal surfaces, then extracting the design and fitting it onto the object. This process is well suited for larger patterns, while the uchikomi technique is more suitable for delicate designs. Both methods allow the artist to create skillful designs of nature. In the 1990s, Okuyama developed a unique style of modern and colorful designs by applying damascening techniques to his metal pieces to incorporate expressive motifs inspired by nature. The large piece of work that Okuyama donated to Ise Shrine displays more than 12,000 cherry blossom petals which were hammered on the surface using the uchikomi method.
Selected Exhibitions
2020 Asia Week, New York, US; Master of Metal Art, Okuyama Hoseki and His True Calling, MOA Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan
2019 The 66th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition, Japan
2018 Living National Treasure Exhibition, MOA Museum of Modern Art, Shizuoka, Japan
Selected Public Collections
The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York
National Museum of Modern Art | Tokyo
MOA Museum of Modern Art | Shizuoka
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan