Urushi Now

Urushi (lacquer) has been used in Japan for over 7,000 years. For centuries, its deep, lustrous surfaces, created through the repeated application of this natural resin, have captivated audiences around the world.

While lacquer is often associated with furniture-making in European contexts, in Japan it has long been central to both utilitarian and artistic traditions. Today, this ancient material is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in the field of contemporary art craft.

Urushi Now highlights the diversity of 21st-century artistic expression and is the first publication of its kind to offer a comprehensive introduction to its ongoing evolution. The featured artists are all currently active, with key works drawn from the V&A's collection.

These artists explore the full flexibility and expressive potential of this extraordinary medium: from centuries-old surface décoration techniques such as maki-e to modern three dimensional sculptural forms and bright synthetic pigments.