Wilderness

2025

Black lacquer is infused with the ashes of over 10,000 unique tree species. This artwork employs the Urushi method, an ancient Japanese technique that involves harvesting natural resin from the Urushi lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) and meticulously layering it onto surfaces, creating a deep, lustrous finish. Through this process, the ashes are suspended within the lacquer, preserving the immensity of countless trees in a single, luminous surface.

As each layer of resin is applied, it both encases and elevates the ash, transforming it into an eternal record of the trees’ presence. The resulting work is a striking, simple black monochrome, yet within it lies the profound story of tree life across millennia—of forests stretching from ancient times to the present. The wood upon which the Urushi is layered is Ginkgo biloba, a living fossil that has existed for millions of years.