Kai Otsuki

Through embroidery, Kai tells his own story in Hand to Hand. The piece depicts his hands alongside his grandmother’s as a large crane is passed from one generation to the next. In Japan, the crane symbolises hope, peace and continuity, and here it represents the unseen skills and spirit passed down through generations.

His paternal grandmother practised Japanese embroidery, while hismaternal grandmother worked as a kimono tailor. After graduating from university, he worked for a wedding company, where his encounters with kimono, embroidery and beautiful garments inspired him to study fashion and eventually led to his current practice. Looking back, he recognises an invisible connection between his own path and the lives of his grandmothers, whose dedication to craftsmanship has shaped his own creative identity.

Origami forms the primary material of the crane at the heart of the work. Reflecting the theme of inheriting tradition, he sought to express Japanese heritage not only through technique, but also through the material itself. Around 500 small origami cranes are individually stitched and layered to form the wings of the larger crane, bringing traditional Japanese craft into dialogue with contemporary embroidery and transforming inherited traditions into a new expression of his own.