Shinta Nakajima Hammers Metal into Nature-Inspired Vessels at 15,000 Strikes per Hour

Tokyo-born metalsmith Shinta Nakajima shapes silver, copper, and brass into vessels and abstract forms through an intensive hammering process—three strikes per second, 15,000 per hour, over 100 hours per piece. After studying under renowned Japanese silversmith Hiroshi Suzuki at Musashino Art University, Nakajima relocated to England in 2018 at age 29. He joined Sarabande Foundation’s studio program, founded by Alexander McQueen, where Gallery Fumi discovered his work and now represents him. He earned an MFA in metalwork and jewelry from Sheffield Hallam University, drawn by its conceptual approach, contrasting with Japan’s tool-making focus. His acanthus leaf series, introduced in 2023, reinterprets ancient Greek and Roman symbols of endurance and renewal, blending British and Japanese techniques. Nakajima continues the series with Gallery Fumi on a large wall piece and is developing an oak leaf motif. He remains in Sheffield, citing the city’s familiarity with hammering sounds.