Damast Sculpture by Kosuke KATO

Kosuke Kato is among the leading figures of a new generation of Japanese metal artists who, while grounded in the country's long tradition of metalwork, seek to take their material in directions not previously explored. From the sword and armour of the samurai to vessels for the tea ceremony and ritual use, metal has long held a place in Japanese culture second only to ceramics. Damascus steel, however, has no true roots in Japan's history. It is precisely this material that Kato has made his own. Working with restraint and a refined economy of form, he transforms a steel associated with austerity and the medieval forge into a compelling medium for contemporary abstraction. The flowing patterns of the Damascus surface appear as an endless, rhythmic movement across his works, while their pared-down silhouettes allow the inherent beauty of the material to come fully to the fore.