UNITED CORSET   2019

BVLGARI MECENATE

Bvlgari Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

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Urushi, Traditional Japanese Paper

W4000 × D3000 × H8000 mm

 

This work was created as part of the “Bvlgari Mecenate” project by Bvlgari Japan, which aims to reinterpret traditional Japanese crafts through a contemporary lens. Selected among eleven artists, I presented this piece combining the traditional craft of Urushi lacquer with modern techniques.

The UNITED CORSET fuses the Western corset with Asian Urushi lacquer and traditional Japanese Washi paper. By layering lacquer over intricately laser-cut Washi lace patterns, the work reexamines the history of the body and fashion through a dialogue between tradition and innovation. This corset is an ironic reflection on the historical physical constraints imposed on women in the name of beauty.

At the center of the piece is a star inspired by the Yamata no Orochi, the legendary serpent of Japanese mythology. This symbol visualizes the connection between Bvlgari’s iconic Serpenti and ancient Japanese serpent beliefs. The fusion of tradition and modernity, East and West, adornment and oppression, lies at the heart of this work.