Someone who fills the void with light.

Shun Kumagai's studio is located in a corner of a residential area near the station in his hometown of Akita City, Akita Prefecture. The studio he shares with his wife, Ms. Sakaida, who is also a glass artist, is a glass-enclosed space with beautiful natural light, facing a garden where seasonal plants are pleasing to the eye. Daily production takes place here.

His works are produced using a method called casting, in which a plaster mold is created from wax and glass is melted into it. The hand-twisted shape is somewhat distorted, creating a mysterious presence. His works, which are often inspired by old tools, antiques, and literature, are shaped like a mixture of old items from various countries.

Convection currents and changes in the glass that occur in the 1000°C kiln give expression to the work, much like a kiln change in pottery. While technically controlling the glass, he also gives unexpected changes and accents to himself with earth and metal. The layering of colors created by the reaction gives the work a beautiful complexity. Its appearance is reminiscent of old things that you may have seen somewhere, but it is also modern, and many people will feel that they are seeing it for the first time.

The light of the glass filled with cavities in the mold. Kumagai calls it a kind of “joy”. Pots and sake cups, large and small, may be because they are "fulfilled things" that we feel spiritual beauty like hope and will.