Serizawa Keisuke (1895–1984) was a versatile artist and designer, as well as a student of Hamada Shōji. Initially inspired by the ceramics of Bernard Leach and Tomimoto Kenkichi—particularly Kenkichi’s pursuit of "immense power" and "enduring life" in ceramic objects—Serizawa’s artistic path took a decisive turn in 1927. At the first Mingei exhibition in Ginza, he encountered bingata, a traditional Okinawan stencil-dyed textile technique. From that moment, he became deeply dedicated to mastering bingata.
A designer, painter, illustrator, dyer, and book and print maker, Serizawa developed his own kataezome style, blending Japanese dyeing techniques with Okinawan bingata. His distinctive approach earned him the title of Living National Treasure, awarded by the Emperor of Japan. As a leading figure in the Mingei movement founded by Yanagi Sōetsu, Serizawa traveled to Okinawa multiple times, studying the region’s rich Ryūkyū bingata dyeing traditions.
