This work is created by an artist who has inherited the skill of Kamakura-bori, a traditional wood carving and lacquering technique passed down for approximately 800 years. Moving beyond the expressions achievable with traditional Kamakura-bori, which involves carving wood and applying lacquer, he has captured a world of blue in acrylic. The main color, "Kenyu bleu," embodies the core hues that have been central to him, inspired by the sea and sky of Kamakura and the greenery of the mountains he often encountered during his childhood spent diving beneath the sea. The Water Sky series represents the scenes of looking up at the sky from beneath the sea, reflecting the origin of his creation in blue from his childhood memories.

A descendant of a lineage of Buddhist sculptors dating back to the Kamakura period, Ken'yu Mitsuhashi is a traditional successor who carries on the 800-year-old traditional skill of Kamakura carving. He apprenticed under his father, Kamamine Mitsuhashi, in 2000. To cultivate his spirit and grasp the fundamentals of being a Buddhist sculptor, he studied Zen at Kencho-ji Temple and was honored with the name "Ken'yu" by Elder Yoshida of Kencho-ji in 2010. Focused on creating Buddhist and tea ceremony utensils necessary for Zen prayer spaces, he also communicates his personal expression through ART works to the world, holding solo exhibitions in places like Paris, France, and actively engaging in a wide range of activities both domestically and internationally.

Kamakura-bori has been continuously handed down for about 800 years, facing the "present" of each era, innovating and changing through time. The accumulation of these innovations and changes is what makes up the current state of Kamakura-bori. Even during times of change and innovation, the techniques and spirit of predecessors have been a crucial core of this tradition, significantly nurtured over 800 years. In today's rapidly changing world, implementing various innovations and embodying expressions, while incorporating the "voice" of the present without being swayed by the times, is considered a mission, according to Mihashi Kamayuu. His Kamakura-bori reflects his own expression, the techniques and spirit of the forebears, and the voice of the current world, embodying both "tradition" and "innovation" as its mission, creating unique works of art.

Kamakura carving refers to items made by molding wood from trees such as katsura (Japanese judas tree) and ginkgo, engraving patterns on them, and then finishing them with lacquer. These items are produced in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and its surrounding areas. The origin is believed to date back to the end of the 12th century, the Kamakura period, when Buddhist sculptors inspired by Chinese lacquerware such as red and black carved lacquer (tsuishu and tsuikoku) developed a new technique of applying multiple layers of lacquer over carved wood. Precious Buddhist altar fittings, which served as the basis for Kamakura carving, have been handed down at temples in Kamakura. Entering the Muromachi period (1336-1568) in the 13th century, with the rise of the tea ceremony, these items were greatly prized as tea ceremony utensils. Buddhist sculptors were involved in the production of these Buddhist and tea ceremony utensils. However, with the separation of Shinto and Buddhism decree issued by the Meiji government (which prohibited the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism and clearly distinguished between Shinto and Buddhism, gods and Buddhas, and shrines and temples), a movement to abolish Buddhism arose, leading to the destruction of Buddhist halls, statues, and scriptures across the country. As a result, the work of Buddhist sculptors drastically decreased. Amidst these circumstances, two Buddhist sculptors, Itsuki Goto and Kenzan Mitsuhashi, devoted their efforts to the revival of Kamakura carving. They exhibited their works at the First National Industrial Exhibition in 1877 and the second one in 1881, and Goto also participated in the Paris Exposition in 1889, winning awards at these exhibitions. Thus, Kamakura carving gained high acclaim both domestically and internationally, expanding its demand. Furthermore, towards the end of the Meiji period, new techniques were researched and the foundation of Kamakura carving was established, centered around the Goto and Mitsuhashi families.

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