The world No. 1 ceiling and streched wall manufacturer, with presence in over 100 countries worldwide, and used by Ferrari, Bugatti, Dior, and Balenciaga….
Barrisol highly praised Keishu’s calligraphy and launched the Keishu Collection in 2018.
Artist Keishu Kawai’s calligraphy creates a calm and serene atmosphere, accentuating the beauty and purity of the space.
The collaboration began in 2016…
While cherishing the Japanese tradition of black and white calligraphy, we were given a wonderful opportunity to reinterpret it as graphic work: breaking down its form, adding color, and seeking to fuse it with Western interior design.
At first, I showed Barrisol only black and white works.
There was no initial plan to create a catalogue, but as our conversations evolved, the idea of “injecting color” came to me. It then took me two and a half years to establish my own style and turn it into a collection. To be honest, I thought that incorporating color was unorthodox, and I was very reluctant at first. It wasn’t like painting with regular pigments, and if I was going to add color, it had to be refined. I searched for a more natural method—one that would not disrupt the shades and nuances of the ink, but rather enhance them—and eventually turned to pigments used in traditional Japanese painting. I was especially careful with the colors I chose, such as gold and red. As a Japanese artist, I wanted to preserve the essence of Japanese calligraphy.
I thought deeply about where and how to incorporate “Japanese” elements.
By treating the calligraphy as graphic art, I sometimes deconstructed it to the point of being unreadable. However, in order to preserve the original spirit of the calligraphy, I chose the Hyakunin Isshu as my subject, and added colors inspired by love poems and seasonal verses. This was my first attempt at incorporating calligraphy into Western interior design while maintaining Japanese tradition, and I am very pleased with the result.
I am extremely happy that my work is being shared across borders and cultures through Barrisol’s global network, and I look forward to continuing such collaborations in the future.
Keishu Kawai
Collaboration with Chantal THOMASS
The bright red underwear worn by Mindy in season 4 of “Emily in Paris” became a hot topic. It was a collaboration with French designer Chantal Thomas, known as the “Queen of Lingerie” for her overwhelming presence.
Collaboration with flower artist Kikuhito Sakagawa
Mr. Sakagawa is a successful figure at the forefront of traditional culture. He changed my life. He taught me how Europeans perceive traditional Japanese culture and how we need to change our mindset to blend into the West. While he has published many books, he said, “Next time, I’ll publish a book with my own poems and Keishu’s calligraphy,” and I had the opportunity to learn so much from him, going beyond the genres of calligraphy and flower arranging.
Keishu Kawai
Collaboration with graphic designer Olivier Klencklen
Olivier Klencklen is a photographer and graphic designer who loves nature and often takes photos in the mountains. One day, he showed me some photos he had taken, and they looked just like they were taken in Japan. I was amazed. We started talking about making postcards together, and as we talked about how it would be good to write a poem on each photo, the conversation expanded to include photos that looked more Japanese, and before we knew it, the book was complete. The book also includes a French translation, so both French and Japanese readers can enjoy the wonderful harmony of the two cultures.
Keishu Kawai
