Born in Tokyo into a family of metalsmiths, Io Koichi graduated from Musashino Art University, Tokyo, in 2009. In a very short period of time, during which he has exhibited internationally in Korea, Germany and the UK, he has established himself as one of most technically competent and artistically ambitious makers of his generation. The materials normally used by Japanese metalsmiths for hand-raising are copper, silver, various kinds of soft copper-based alloys and, since the 20th century, aluminium. Shakudo, which is a mixture of copper with up to 10% gold, is a much harder alloy historically used for making sword-fittings and other small-scale decorative items. Io’s choice of shakudo as a material is therefore an unusual one and in terms of what it requires of the maker, an extremely demanding one. This vase is highly resolved both in overall form and in the sensitive fashioning of its mouth. While only his second work in shakudo, it is a consummate piece of metalsmithing.