Australian Wood Review – June 2017

http://www.woodreview.com.au 47

PROFILE

6 There are no keys or handles

to open the Tabibito box but

when you look down into the

paulownia box you can see a

small box wedged in with a

piece of wood.

7 This key opens the first

drawer at the base of the

cube. This key represents

the logo of the Danish

Cabinetmakers Association.

8 All the drawers open by air

pressure and the air moves

from drawer to drawer...

9 ...until you reach the small

box in the top.

10 In that box you will find

two keys.

11 The round key and keyhole

represent the Japanese flag.

12 The cross-shaped key

and keyhole represent the

Danish flag.

13 Now you can access the two

secret boxes from the top.

14 Both of these slide open.

These are also made with

hand cut dovetails and have

a wood spring lock function.

15 Altogether there are three

boxes and four drawers that

all open by air pressure.

and now almost forgotten Japanese

techniques, and he seemed also to

get some inspiration from my western

style of woodworking’, said Shin.

Returning to Sweden in 2015, Shin

undertook that nation’s lengthy

craftsman’s exam and received a

silver medal in recognition of his

almost perfect score from the King

of Sweden. An invitation to join the

Danish Cabinetmakers Association

in Copenhagen led to him making

Tabibito, the piece shown here,

for Unfolds*, an exhibition which

featured at Designmuseum

Denmark from February until mid-

M a y, 2 017.

Based on a brief that works should

be cube-shaped and unfold in some

way, Shin’s Tabibito box became

an expression of his woodworking

journey and cultural influences.

*See story p.82

Photos: Shinobu Kobayashi

Shinobu Kobayashi is a bespoke maker and

also teaches woodwork at the Melbourne

Guild of Fine Woodworking, http://www.mgfw.com.au

Email Shin at: [email protected]

Instagram @shino_bunny

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