Hagino works primarily with sheet metal, shaping vessels and sculptural forms through hammering processes that require tens of thousands of strikes. For hagiawase, she forges and heat-welds individual metal elements into unified volumes, taking advantage of the natural hues of the materials. She also employs uchidashi (embossing), whereby steel punches are worked from the front or the reverse to create relief patterns on the surface. Once complete, her pieces are completed with patterns that respond to the shape of the form – linework that createsoptical effects across the surface.
A member of the Japan Kogei Association, Hagino has exhibited widely in Japan and internationally, including Asia Week New York, SOFA Chicago, and exhibitions at the MOA Museum of Art and the Designmuseum Denmark. Her work has received numerous major awards, including the Japan Kogei Association Chairman Award and the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 50th Metalwork Traditional Kogei Exhibition. Works by Hagino are held in public collections including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and the Ise Foundation in Japan.
