Flower basket c. 1920s - 1930s

This flower basket was made by Chikukōen, we don't know when. Look at the way the reeds bend and weave, it reminds me of drawing a line, letting it loop and curve, finding a form through repetition. The whole thing is like a drawing in space! The reddish-brown colour of the reeds gives it a warm, earthy feel. You can almost smell the forest floor, can't you? Notice how some of the reeds stand out a little more than the others, like little inflections or accents in a sentence. It’s almost as if each piece has its own story to tell. The handle is smooth and round and looks like it fits perfectly in your hand, whereas the texture of the reeds that make the body of the basket are intricate and tactile. It makes me think of Ruth Asawa's wire sculptures, where repetition and simple materials create such a sense of volume and depth. Both artists invite us to see the beauty in the everyday and the potential for art in the simplest of materials.