Turned from mizuki wood, painted with dyes, pigments, and sumi ink. Wagatsuma-san's Irodori series uses colour as its primary means of expression — here a strong Prussian blue set against the cream of the uncoloured wood, with gold running through both.
The body carries a large-scale leaf motif in blue and gold; a broad brushstroke runs horizontally across the midsection. The head is small and plainly drawn — eyes, brows, a narrow mouth — and sits beneath a wide, flat hat, also painted.
The hat is part of the form, not an addition to it.
Natural variation in the paint application and grain is part of the piece.
Noboru Wagatsuma combines the traditional language of Togatta Kokeshi with modern motifs, unusual silhouettes and expressive colour. His former career as a singer-songwriter continues to resonate through his work, giving many pieces a distinctive and often surprising character.
