Kota Arinaga

Born in Osaka, Kota Arinaga studied abroad in Germany. In 2001, he graduated from Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in Glass. His work is cultivated from lace glass reticella's traditional Venetian glass technique, creating a more delicate expression. In 2017 he opened Kotastudio in  Noto. His works are featured in permanent collections such as Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo, and The Ritz Carlton Tokyo.

Arinaga bases his work on the traditional Venetian glass technique of lace glass reticella, creating a more delicate expression. Initially, this technique was intended to create beautiful patterns with lines, but by making it so dense that the lines are invisible, he aims to create an expression that transcends the technique.

To create each piece by hand and concentrate on capturing the moment-to-moment shape of the work, Arinaga manipulates the Glass and produces the natural momentum of the Glass as it expands and the tension of the Glass as it bulges tautens. He is attracted to the objects that are created at the moment. When the condition of the Glass, his internal shape, mood, and other factors come together, he can accept and enjoy the spontaneous process.