Fisherman and son

I’ve long been inspired by Japanese sculpture. Ivory okimono evokes a particular admiration! It’s impossible to remain indifferent when looking at an okimono by the great sculptor Komei Ishikawa; he’s at the top of my list! Among them were other incredibly talented Japanese sculptors: Houkei, Kodo, Kyosai, Ryuichi, Yoshida Homei, Yoshihaka, Yoshida Doraku… I spent five months working on the okimono “Fisherman and Son.” The fisherman and his son moved in with their collector and, by his example, will raise another son… the story of continuity, mentorship, and the power of good example continues. The figures of the fisherman father and his son, carved with meticulous attention to detail, symbolize the transmission of experience and wisdom from generation to generation.
The carving is executed in the classic okimono technique of the Tokyo school, where every detail is rendered with incredible precision. Height 12.8 cm, mammoth tusk. 2019. Moldova, private collection.