Material
Unity Cabinet
Unity is a unique piece of furniture that was commissioned by an intercultural Japanese-Dutch family. On its exterior, the family’s portrait is rendered in polychromed wood veneer inlay that lends itself to the flat perspective of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints and modern manga.
- Year
- 2010 - 2012
- Dimensions
- 70 x 140 x 42 cm
- Materials
- marquetry of indian rosewood and polychrome dyed veneers, polished bronze
- Collection
- private
Unity Cabinet
The great wave
Developed during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that was triggered by the tsunami caused by the Tōhoku earthquake on March11, 2011, this piece connects
“the sophisticated Japanese authentic symbolism with a harsh contemporary reality”
as seen in the biohazard symbols on the boy’s clothing and the swirling waves.
The repeating water motif that wraps around the sides of the cabinet references the iconic image of Under the Wave off Kanagawa (also known as The Great Wave, ca.1830–32) by Katsushika Hokusai that has entered popular culture as one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art.