Molding dough and carving stones dates back to the first reportings of art from the Paleolithic Age, roughly 18,000 years ago, when the use of just four rudimentary tools—a point, a drill, an awl, and a scraper—were used to create elaborate stone carvings. As time progressed, man found better and more creative ways of manipulating raw materials, one of which included doughs and clays. Molding dough and carving stone were two of the earliest forms of craftsmanship ever achieved by man and were used in Japan, later to become known as the art of sugi bori.
Sugi bori, meaning the art of carving cedar, was originally an extensive practice performed in Zen Buddhist temples. It was not a traditional art form, like ikebana or sumi-e, but a type of craftsmanship used in carpentry and furniture making, but also in creating sculptures of various famous landmarks and areas. These landmarks were created out of a particular type of pine tree called Sogiku Cedar. Sogiku cedar was a common choice due to its strong, light weight, and sturdy nature, and it gave a unique texture to the finished product. The craftsman would carve intricate patterns and designs into the wood, following the natural grain of the wood, and then dust the carvings with wheat bran.
The ingenuity of the Japanese to use dough and stone to make the tools they needed to carve these intricate sculptures has been an astonishing feat. Dough can be molded, sliced, rolled, and stretched with precision, producing different relief patterns, shapes, and angles, which are then formed into wooden statues. Stones, on the other hand, can be elaborately carved and fashioned into beautiful shapes, while providing a hard and sturdy surface. The process of cutting and carving the stones into any desired pattern, then adding texture and form to the design, is also a part of sugi bori.
The combination of stone and dough was used to make Han-kaku, which are hand-made wooden sculptures depicting religious figures, decorated with intricate patterns and carvings, in addition to their natural woodgrain. The combination of these two materials resulted in more vivid, colorful, and complex figurines, and the intricate details could be seen from a distance. The sculptures became popular in many households, and word of the skill spread, and the technique was eventually taught in workshops. Today, Han-kaku are still popular and are still crafted in the same way.
Sugi bori art is still practiced today and is often imitated in a more modern form, with the use of clay and epoxy resins in place of dough and stone. Some modern sugi bori pieces can be found on display in museums and galleries, where they are showcased as masterpieces of art. They are also a popular home decoration item, used to add color and texture to the walls or shelves of any home.
No matter how the technique is practiced, sugi bori remains a mesmerizing form of art that can be enjoyed by numerous people all over the world. Every piece a unique, handmade work of art that will last for generations to come.
