HATAKEYAMA Koji

Koji Hatakeyama is an internationally acclaimed metal artist celebrated for his masterful bronze boxes that bridge Japan’s centuries-old casting traditions with modernist aesthetics. A graduate of Kanazawa College of Art (1980), Hatakeyama established his studio in Takaoka, a historic center of bronze craftsmanship founded in the early 1600s. From 2017 to 2022, he served as Professor of Metal Casting at Kanazawa College of Art, where he advanced Takaoka’s rich metalworking heritage while mentoring a new generation of Japanese artists.

Deeply rooted in this legacy, he employs ancient Mesopotamian techniques while exploring the expressive and spiritual potential of bronze, a material he describes as “holding memories of a thousand years.” His works balance minimal form and rich surface depth, embodying both restraint and emotional resonance, where each vessel seems to breathe with quiet vitality.  Through decades of experimentation and devotion to his craft, Hatakeyama has earned recognition worldwide, with his works represented in major museum collections and exhibitions.