David Carlin — Master Carver of Contemporary Netsuke

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One of the best-known carvers of contemporary netsuke in the world, David Carlin finds inspiration at home in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, where inside his small studio, he relies on the most basic tools to carve and create exquisitely small sculptures that depict “big” ideas.

 

From mythological characters, deities, animals, acrobats and ghosts, to scarecrows, opera and the origins of religion, David’s themes are rooted in “allegorical” thinking. His work is featured in museums and private collections around the world, including at the Tokyo National Museum, Honolulu Museum of Art, and the Kyoto Seishu Netsuke Art Museum. He has also created pieces for the royal Imperial family of Japan.

 

The history and customs of netsuke comprise a vast topic. Contemporary motifs combine many stories into one piece. 

 

  “A goat on a rock scratching its ear might represent listening and balance, for example,” David said. “The netsuke are teaching tools almost always.”

 

What is netsuke? Originating in 17th-century Japan, netsuke (pronounced net-ski) originally functioned as a garment accessory — a fastener of sorts — for securing a pouch or “purse” onto the sash of a kimono. The art form evolved as wealthier customers expected a high level of intricacy, distinction and personalization.

 

When traditional Japanese apparel changed in the 20th century, so did the need for netsuke, which drifted away from everyday use and into the hands of collectors. In the early 1960s, a small group of artists, David among them, revived the art while still adhering to the traditional standard of the genre, creating pieces that are small enough to fit inside the palm of the hand, for example, and featuring two openings through which a cord would be threaded.

 

“ ‘Format’ is the word that defines netsuke,” explains David. “It must perform a certain function and it must be aesthetically, functionally and subjectively correct — and personal. There are affordable works and works that have been bid into the hundreds of thousands.”

 

The late Robin Williams was one of David’s longtime patrons. David recalls how he personally brought pieces to the actor’s home in Northern California:

“I used to go over to his house a lot. He collected my work and also gifted my pieces to friends. One of the first netsuke he purchased from me was a clown riding a snail turning left.”

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Having created more than 765 netsuke in his career, David also indulges in small and miniature carvings, as well as precision "balances" (desk toys) made of basswood and pine. "I'm always producing something," said David. "Some are two-day or three-day projects, and some take months. Everything I do is small sculpture and the netsuke format is endemic to it."