Natsuko Toyofuku
Natsuko Toyofuku, Natsu to her friends, came to Italy from Japan when she was a child, she settled in Milan, her chosen hometown. Her father, Tomonori Toyofuku, together with other talented Japanese artists who are still highly regarded, introduced the “informel” style into Japanese sculpture that was still so tied to tradition, whilst beginning to open itself to the influence of Western styles.
Influenced by the elegance and the spontaneity of the oriental school of calligraphy her mother, Kazuko, used her artistic talent to expertly create refined compositions with her paintbrush. Natsu, therefore, naturally inherits a predisposition to research the styles and is not afraid to break with tradition. During the 80s she tried out the use of different and unusual materials and techniques to show her particularly expressive and original talent in the field of jewellery making, which, in Italy, as abroad, still tended to pander to the classic style. Her originality enabled her to anticipate styles that will still be current in years to come.
Natsu’s beginnings in making jewellery go back to the 80s, when she began to realise instinctively, and it must be said adventurously, the different ways goldsmiths could shape non precious metals. For example she started to utilise pearls, the “magic gem” so loved in Japanese culture, but also different metals, such as silver and bronze, mostly utilising lost wax casting.