Contemporary Crafts | Kogei Japonica https://en.kogei-japonica.com Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:43:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://en.kogei-japonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cropped-logo_ver1-32x32.webp Contemporary Crafts | Kogei Japonica https://en.kogei-japonica.com 32 32 Nagat Elizabeth https://en.kogei-japonica.com/artists/nagat-elizabeth/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:42:08 +0000 https://en.kogei-japonica.com/?post_type=candidate&p=16319 SOUTH RIVER ARTIST / FOUND-OBJECT ART Fragments from the foreshore, seen anew. Nagat Elizabeth works under the name South River Artist, creating framed compositions from pottery sherds and other objects found along the Thames foreshore. Bringing together fragments of colour and pattern, she gives these discoveries a new form to be seen and enjoyed.   […]

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SOUTH RIVER ARTIST / FOUND-OBJECT ART

Fragments from the foreshore,
seen anew.

Nagat Elizabeth works under the name South River Artist, creating framed compositions from pottery sherds and other objects found along the Thames foreshore. Bringing together fragments of colour and pattern, she gives these discoveries a new form to be seen and enjoyed.


Framed arrangement of blue-and-white pottery sherds by Nagat Elizabeth
A framed composition of blue-and-white pottery sherds. Photo courtesy of Nagat Elizabeth.
01 / Practice

Finding expression in found objects

Mudlarking is the practice of searching tidal riverbanks and foreshores for lost objects and traces of everyday life. Nagat shares these discoveries through exhibitions and incorporates found materials into her artwork.

Her compositions range from carefully spaced arrangements of patterned pottery sherds to grids of fragments with contrasting textures. Placed alongside one another within a frame, each piece reveals its own distinctive colour and outline.

A Creative Foreshore Permit holder

Nagat Elizabeth holds a Creative Foreshore Permit issued by the Port of London Authority (PLA).

The PLA describes this permit as allowing finds with no inherent monetary or historical value to be used in art and craft for sale, exhibition or personal enjoyment. Nagat’s permit is also noted in an official article by Sutton Council’s Cultural Services.

About the permit: Port of London Authority

02 / Works

Colour, pattern and form

Pottery sherds with varied colours and patterns arranged in a white frame
A composition exploring the patterns on pottery sherds. Photo courtesy of Nagat Elizabeth.
Framed grid of grey and brown fragments with contrasting textures
Texture and repetition in an arrangement of found fragments. Photo courtesy of Nagat Elizabeth.
03 / Artist

About Nagat Elizabeth

Nagat Elizabeth standing behind a table displaying her work
Nagat at an exhibition. Photo courtesy of Nagat Elizabeth.
SOUTH RIVER ARTIST

Nagat Elizabeth

Alongside making her own work, Nagat curates and participates in exhibitions. Her artist-supplied exhibition history includes London Museum, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Fulham Pier, Guildhall Art Gallery, Canons House and Grounds, and Merton Priory Chapter House.

She shares her work and activities on Instagram as @south_river_artist.

04 / Features

Exhibitions & coverage

SUTTON COUNCIL’S CULTURAL SERVICES / 21 AUGUST 2026

Foreshore Finds: A Journey Through Time

Held at Sutton Central Library from 16 July to 22 August 2026, this exhibition brought together finds from three mudlarks, including Nagat. Their displays offered a glimpse into the history of life along the river through objects found on the Thames foreshore.

Read the exhibition feature →
05 / Information

Artist details

Name Nagat Elizabeth
Also known as South River Artist
Main area of activity London and the surrounding area, United Kingdom
Practice Found-object art; framed compositions using pottery sherds and other found materials
Permit Creative Foreshore Permit, issued by the Port of London Authority
Instagram @south_river_artist

Enquiries about Nagat Elizabeth

For enquiries about artworks, press, exhibitions or collaborations, please contact Kogei Japonica.

Contact us
The post Nagat Elizabeth first appeared on Kogei Japonica.]]> Toshiya Kaku https://en.kogei-japonica.com/artists/toshiya-kaku/ Mon, 09 Mar 2026 03:57:49 +0000 https://en.kogei-japonica.com/?post_type=candidate&p=15522 Listening to wood, carving its subtle irregularities into vessels Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Toshiya Kaku is a woodworker who deepened his practice in Fukuno, Toyama, where he studied how to sharpen and use kanna planes, chisels, and carving knives. His work has also been shaped by the influence of Jomon and Ainu cultures. Each piece […]

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Listening to wood, carving its subtle irregularities into vessels

Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Toshiya Kaku is a woodworker who deepened his practice in Fukuno, Toyama, where he studied how to sharpen and use kanna planes, chisels, and carving knives. His work has also been shaped by the influence of Jomon and Ainu cultures.

Each piece begins with rough carving and is completed entirely by hand. The finished forms retain traces of the carving process and slight irregularities—quiet expressions of warmth that cannot be found in industrially uniform objects.
Kaku places great importance on the encounter with each piece of wood, allowing the material itself to guide the vessel’s purpose, scale, and form. He primarily uses locally sourced timber, including trees that, for various reasons, had to be felled. From chainsaw milling and natural drying to the final carving, he undertakes the entire process himself. His practice reflects a deep respect for the life of the tree and a sensitivity to form that emerges through dialogue with the material.
In lacquerwork, he has refined his techniques through guidance received in places such as Wajima and Okinawa. For the interiors of bowls and cups, he carefully applies a makiji foundation layer before the final lacquer coats, ensuring the durability needed for everyday use.

In 2023, he held his first solo exhibition in the Kanto region at Domyaku in Kagurazaka, Tokyo. His vessels were introduced as works that naturally invite the hand and leave a quiet, lasting impression. In 2025, he also presented indigo-dyed pieces created in collaboration with Soi, an indigo dyer based in neighboring Hofu City. The combination of hand-carved texture and the refined luster of indigo opened a new dimension in his wooden vessels.

 
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Biography

  • 2023
    Held his first solo exhibition in the Kanto region at Domyaku, Kagurazaka
  • 2025
    Presented indigo-dyed works in collaboration with Soi, an indigo dye artist based in Hofu City

Portfolio

Hand-carved bowls, cups, makiji, lacquer finish
Hand-carved bowls, cups, makiji, lacquer finish
Hand-carved plates, lacquer finish with a slipware-like expression
Hand-carved plates, lacquer finish with a slipware-like expression
Hand-carved cups, interior with makiji and lacquer finish, exterior dyed in fermented lye indigo by indigo artist Soi
Hand-carved cups, interior with makiji and lacquer finish, exterior dyed in fermented lye indigo by indigo artist Soi
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