To commemorate Inform's 60 Years of Design, Kyoto-based Kaikado and Vancouver-based Janaki Larsen collaborated to create a limited-edition series of Kaikado canisters featuring Janaki Larsen ceramic knobs. Available in three metal finishes, tin, brass, and copper, the colour and shape of the ceramic knob are unknown until after purchase, in keeping with the unpredictability of Larsen's work.
Kaikado was established in Kyoto in 1875 as the pioneer of tinplate canisters using imported tinplate from England. They have continued making their "chazutsu" or tea caddies using the 130-step handmade techniques developed by their founder over a century ago. The current makers share the same spirit as their forefathers, even as times and circumstances change.
Kaikado “chazutsu” can be repaired even if they are dented or distorted. They can be passed down from generation to generation because of the traditional hand-making techniques even now being practiced. Your grandchildren’s grandchildren will be able to bring their “chazutsu” back to craftsmen if they ever need maintenance.
Larsen's work is modern, minimalist, and simple in form and content. She uses gentle lines instead of heavy detail, and her pieces have a sense of quietness. Each of Larsen's pieces has been hand-thrown and hand-glazed in Vancouver. The ceramic forms are very expressive, so no two pieces look or are formed exactly alike. Her work often teeters on the line between functional and dysfunctional.
