Surely there’s never a gloomy day inside of Warehouse Terrada’s Pigment boutique! Within a location that already offers, among other things, very high quality art storage, the company recently opened an art supply store that has no rival. With an offering of 4,200 pigments, 600 paintbrushes and 50 types of “art glue” for sale, an artist needs to look no further!
The idea came about through a trip to China where the CEO, Yoshihisa Nakano and his architect friend, Kengo Kuma saw ancient cave paintings and listened to conservators lament about the fact that that traditional pigment techniques have all but disappeared. They soon learned that Japan is thought to have the most expertise in this area and is known for making everything from handmade “washi” paper to delicate ink brushes. Why not give it a go, they thought! Although Pigment might appear as a luxury boutique, it really is all about showcasing the tradition and techniques of the pigments.
Glass jars are beautifully organized to display the 4,200 pigments and drawers pull out to showcase the brushes, some of which are made from squirrel fur and goat hair. There’s even a peacock feather brush among the bunch. This minimally furnished studio is open and inviting and certainly not lacking any color… or visitors!
Illuminated by LED fixtures, the bamboo shelves house the 4,200 pigments in glass jars. You needn’t be an artist to appreciate the breadth of this display!
Image courtesy of: Pigment Tokyo
With 600 paintbrushes displayed upon panels of coated steel, Pigment is an artists dream!
Image courtesy of: Pigment Tokyo
Washi paper has been used by Japanese artists for close to 200 years. Here, the paper shown is gold powdered and embossed.
Image courtesy of: Pigment Tokyo
For seasoned artists and aspiring artists alike, Pigment in Tokyo hopes to show a new generation how to use the traditional techniques and tools of Japanese art that have been around for years and years.