東京の竹工藝家の三代目として生まれた武関翠篁氏は、父翠月、人間国宝・飯塚小干（王偏）齋に師事し、技の修練を積み重ねました。
しなやかで強靭な竹の特性を知り尽くし、細く割いた竹を緻密に組み編むことによって造形する編組（へんそ）の技を極めた武関氏の格調高い作品は、宮内庁をはじめ国内外の主要な美術館で収集されています。
Buseki Suiko was born in 1958 as a third generation in a family of bamboo craftsmen in Tokyo, Japan.
He was trained and gained his skill of bamboo basketry under his father Suigetsu and a living national treasure Iizuka Shokansai.
His refined and intricate pieces, that are made possible by mastering the skill of braiding thin split bamboo (Henso) with the full understanding of flexibility and toughness of its materials. These have been collected by leading museums both inside and outside the country, including The National Museum of Scotland (UK), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (USA), and the Imperial Household Agency in Japan.
1 煤竹花籃「響」 Smoked bamboo flower basketry Hibiki- Resonance
In this piece, Mr. Buseki expressed the majestic beauty of the waterfall by creating patterns of Yabane (feathers on an arrow) with white bamboo in the center of a basketry made of shine and dark Susutake (smoked) bamboo. It resembles us a scenery of waterfall by combining elegant curve lines and straight lines of bamboo strips.
2 白錆束編菱文花籃「月下」 Gekka - Under the moon
師匠小玕齋から伝授された束編みの技法を駆使した、菱形の透かしが印象深い花籃です。煮沸して脱油・脱色した後、2～3カ月太陽に晒した白錆竹を用い、3mの柾割りの竹ひご12本を束ねて縁まで編み上げ、竹の持つしなやかさと強靭さ、気品を伝えます。
This flower basketry has a diamond shaped see-through pattern which was braided with a special technique called Tabaami which Mr.Buseki inherited from his master Iizuka Shokansai.
He gathered 12 strips of 3m long bamboo called Shirosabitake (boiled in hot water to extract oil and color, and exposed to the sun for 2 to 3 months) and braided to the edge to express the elegance and the strength of bamboo.
3 花籃「曙光」Shoko - morning glory
厚めでしっかりした竹ひごを同じ間隔に並べる櫛目編の技法で、直線と曲線の両方を生かし内側には真っすぐな白竹を、外側には黒と赤で繊細なうねりを配する複雑な造形。内と外の二層の重なりがほとばしる光のような視覚的な動きを感じさせます。
This flower basketry was braided with a technique called Kushimeami, using thick and strong bamboo strips at even intervals. Mr. Buseki playfully combined both straight and curvy wave lines (white straight lines inside and black and red curved lines outside) to create a sense of movement in its complex shape. This double-sided layered pattern makes us feel the movement of light waves.
4 花籃「白虎」 Byakko - white tiger
キトラ古墳壁画をテーマにした「四神」のシリーズより、師匠の小玕齋に学んだうち編みも形も自由な「草」の縁巻の技法を駆使して、ダイナミックに躍動する「白虎」を表現。一部に竹の枝が施してあるが、これはキトラ古墳を訪れた際に入手したものだそうです。
This piece is from his series of work entitled Shishin (four gods) that he created with a theme of Kitora Tumulus in Nara, Japan. He expressed the dynamic movement of one of the four gods, “white tiger” by using a technique called Fuchimaki that is one of the most playful and freestyle techniques that he inherited from his master Shokansai. There is a part in which he braided a little branch of bamboo from Kitora Tumulus.
5 花籃「渚」 Nagisa - the shoreline
等間隔に並べた竹ひごを櫛目ひねりの高度な技法で編んでいます。絡み合う涼やかな線で波打ち寄せる「渚」の様子を表現しました。巻貝を連想させる造形と黒と赤の艶やかな漆が竹特有のしなやかさと清涼感を引き出し、気品のあるフォルムを生んでいます。
In this piece, he incorporated an advanced technique called Kushimehineri to braid bamboo strips at even intervals. He expressed the scenery of lapping waves against the shoreline by the clear intertwined lines.
The spiral shaped seashell-like form and the black and red lacquered shine bamboo strips induce a sense of elegance and refreshingness.
6 煤竹舟型花籃「誘い」 Sasoi - Invitation
しっとりとした飴色の煤竹を用いて組技法で造形した舟形の花籠。伸びやかで張りのあるラインが、いまにも漕ぎ出しそうな緊張感を生んでいます。煤竹の醍醐味である縄目の跡が印象深い景色となっています。
This navicular shaped flower basketry is braided with beautiful amber colored Susutake (smoked) bamboo.
The flowing and smooth textured lines evoke a very moment of the departure of a boat.
It has beautiful patterns (traces) of knotted ropes on the surface that is the best characteristic of Susutake bamboo.
7 六稜茶籠 Hexagram shaped tea basketry
深い飴色の漆で仕上げた六陵の玉手箱のような美しい茶籠です。鉄線編みの技法で、隙間なく編み上げられ、緻密でありながらふっくらとした優しさがあります。持ち手にあしらった真田紐でより一層の趣深さが加わりました。
This tea basketry is like a treasure casket made of bamboo strips with deep amber colored lacquer finish on its surface.
Those strips are braided very closely to each other with a technique called Tetsusenami, which creates the fine elegance in addition to the soft impression from its rounded form.
Sanadahimo (braided silk rope) attached to the basket enhances its charm.
8 茶籠 Tea basketry
繊細で緻密な網代編みを縦横にあしらい、漆で仕上げた優美な茶籠です。籠と裂地で巾着のように仕立て、軽やかで華やかな印象に。
裂仕立て：林順子
This exquisite piece has delicate and detailed braids using a technique called Ajiroami with the lacquered finish on the surface.
It has a cloth pouch attached inside like a purse.
Cloth work: Junko Hayashi
9 白錆束編水差し「四海波」 Shikaiha - Four sea waves
師匠小飯塚小玕齋から伝授された束編みの技法を駆使した水差しです。白錆竹のしなやかさ、優美で軽快な風合いを生かした菱形の透かしが特徴です。
塗：高野竹工
This is a Mizusashi (tea ceremony utensil), made with a technique that Mr. Buseki inherited it from his master.
Utilizing the beauty and the smoothness of Shirosabitake, He created unique diamond shaped see-through patterns on the sides.
Lacquer work: Takano Chikko