Takeshi Yasuda

Gan Erke  (b.1955), recognized as a National Crafts Master of China, has established a new standard in contemporary Chinese lacquer craftsmanship through both technical mastery and innovation. Among his diverse lacquer practices, he is best known for the marbled xipi (“rhinoceros hide”) technique, achieved through the meticulous layering of multiple colored lacquers. While inheriting this traditional method, Gan introduced bold chromatic innovations, developing a personal language rooted in the aesthetic spirit of the Song and Yuan dynasties. His works reflect a commitment to sustaining and revitalizing the highest levels of traditional craftsmanship through refined, functional objects of subtle beauty.

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Gan lives and works in Anhui, China. His lacquer works are held in major public collections, including the National Museum of China, the National Palace Museum of China, the British Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as private collections in China, Hong Kong, and abroad. He has participated in significant international exchanges, including the International Symposium on Ancient Chinese Lacquerware at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2011) and the China–Germany International Art Exchange Exhibition (2012). Collaborative works with Shang Xia were presented at Christie’s auctions in 2015 and 2017.