Ikeda Iwao (b. 1940), A brown lacquered circular tea caddy, chaki 池田巌 （1940年生） 棕漆水墨紋茶罐

Ikeda Iwao is an innovative Japanese artist specialising in traditional bamboo craft, lacquerware, and tea utensils. Inspired by his father Ikeda Hyoa II who studied under the tea ceremony master Masuda Donno, Ikeda Iwao started his career in bamboo art at the age of 10 and later became an apprentice to the master Akaji Yusai, a designated Living National Treasure in lacquerware. In 1963, Ikeda graduated from Tokyo University of Arts with a major in lacquer art.

Ikeda became an established artist in his own right and in 2013 and 2014, Ikeda held his solo exhibitions in Germany at the Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst and the Museum of Lacquer Art respectively. His work has been included in various museum exhibitions worldwide, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (inv. no. FE.29:1 to 4-2001) , the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 2019.425.18a–c), and the Cleveland Museum of Art (inv. no. 1993.201).

池田巌思維新穎，巧妙地將傳統與創新結合，是日本知名的竹器、漆器、以及茶器藝術家。池田巌的父親二代池田瓢阿亦是一位竹藝師，曾經師從近代茶道大師益田钝翁。池田巌10歲起和父親學習竹器工藝，20歲時師從漆器大師、人間國寶：赤地友哉。1963年，池田巌從東京藝術大學漆藝科畢業。池田巌自13歲起開始展出個人作品，近期分別於2013年和2014年在德國亞洲藝術博物館和明斯特漆藝博物館進行了《池田巌 竹／漆》個人展覽。

池田巌的作品在全球多個博物館展出或入藏，包括英國的維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館（編號 FE.29:1 to 4-2001）、紐約大都會美術館（編號2019.425.18a–c）、以及克利夫蘭藝術博物館（編號1993.201）。