From a office worker to the world of pottery

Ceramics artist Yukiya Izumida creates his pottery in Noda in Iwate Prefecture. We visited his gallery. In the gallery, there is a leather sofa with jazz music playing. It is a space that was like a trendy cafe. And the ceramics are also of modern design with an impressive sharp form.
Izumida used to be an office worker. ”But I liked making things and found that working in the office was boring. So I entered this world wanting to do things I like to do.” He laughed as he told his story.

Alias “suribachi” artist!?

After leaving his career as an office worker behind, he became an apprentice under Kaoru Shimodake who had the main kiln of Kokuji-yaki. He had done 3 years of apprenticeship, and became independent when he was 25 years old and started his creative work.
In the corner of the gallery there were many ”suribachi” (grinding bowls) piled up which caught our eye. When you hear ”suribachi” it is such a practical thing you do not care how it looks, but the ”suribachi” that Izumida makes are very refined in design, making them very attractive on a dining table. His pieces became so popular that he could not keep up with the orders. ”So some people call me the ”Suribachi Artist”.” he laughed as he explained..
The majority of things he makes as a ceramic artist are objects. The characteristic of his work is the delicate form that can easily break. He does not use much glaze, so he relies on the strength of the clay itself, and there were times when it actually broke during an exhibition. As a matter of fact, when he did his exhibition in New York in 2005, it cost him 1 million yen for the shipping.

Remaking multiple times to achieve the delicate form

It is his hands that create the delicate form. His works start by actually making the delicate forms instead of imagining them in his head. He would use old postcards etc. to fold and roll and use it as a design base. When his ideas are more set he creates larger objects. Working from the base shape, he goes on to make something larger, eventually using clay, fire, and the pieces start looking like ceramic work.
Izumida-san allowed Nakata to use his template, and Nakata started making an object. He was taught some techniques such as sandwiching clay with rough Japanese paper to change its expression.
The ”suribachi” piled up in the corner of the studio, the ceramic objects that were made with modern sensibility, all had a sense of clay connected through the tradition of Kokuji-yaki. We look forward to the kind of expression that will be created next.

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Glass pieces that seem to be alive

I am not sure whether freedom is an adequate word to describe Tomohiro Kano’s work, but his pieces look as though they are alive, and have a unique style. They are certainly eye-catching, and upon close examination, we discovered it was glass. The piece has a lot of different colors and different expressions, quite different compared to ”glass art” made for a particular purpose.
”Just like the thread spun from a spider, or how my nails would wind around as they grow longer, I want to create pieces as though the glass is filtered through me.”

Encounter with Glass Art

The name Kano is a name noted in Japanese art history. Kano’s great grandfather was the founder of the Kano school of Japanese art. He himself went to college and studied Japanese art, but became interested in film, and after graduation, worked for an advertisement production company. He devoted 8 years of his life as a creator, when he was in a motorbike accident, requiring him to deal with a long period of physical therapy.
During this period, he happened to recall a college friend whose father was sculpture artist Hodaka Yoshida who made glass art as a hobby, and so he decided to visit him.
”I assumed then that glass was made by craftsmen at a factory, but I found out that individuals could work with glass, and this came as quite a shock.” Kano told us. His friend recommended a glass workshop, and his journey as a glass art artist commenced.

Creating Everything with Glass

The technique he learned from Yoshida was the ”pate de verre” method, a method that derives from the ancient Mesopotamian period, existing long before the blowing technique. Generally, the prototype was made of clay or wax and a mold was made out of fire proof plaster. This was the mold casting method, where glass pieces were stuffed in the plaster mold and burned. After cooling, the glass was removed and processed.
At first, he used to follow these steps, but he always had an issue with having to throw away the prototype at the end. ”I felt a sense of emptiness, like I was losing something important. And when you create a prototype with clay, the glass that is eventually created becomes a duplicate. So I decided I would create the prototype with glass as well.” This was the start of his challenge to blow ”life” into glass.

Finding the Possibility for Molding

Until then, no one had made glass art using a glass prototype using the pate de verre method. Kano made glass-blown glass and covered the glass with clay. Then, he placed pieces of glass inside the glass prototype and put it in the fire. The blown-glass prototype and the glass that was later placed inside melted together, creating a dynamic ”movement”.
Kano said that the entire process is his art. The material, glass and all the other factors including nature and time are blended together. Everything intertwines with each other to create that one piece of art.
”There are so many other challenges I still have not tried with glass.” He is now creating molds without the using prototypes. Yes, he is headed towards his next challenge.

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Eye catching works of art

The unique design merging lacquer and the human body inevitably catches the eye and rouses emotions.

The 2 features; the mellow glossed lacquer and the abstract form of the human body are fused together. Some works make you wonder, some may fill you with fear, some may be heartwarming…
It is difficult to express in a single phrase, but Aoki’s works are mysterious. It feels nostalgic in a way yet seems very new, and leaves a lasting impression.

Understanding lacquer, leading to creation

Chie Aoki, born in 1981 is still very young, and is responsible for creating these objects of art. She encountered lacquer while still attending Kanazawa College of Art and was completely taken in with its beautiful glossy charm. She then attended graduate school and became obsessed with creating artworks. She held solo exhibitions at the ”Gallery Te” and was highly praised at exhibitions such as the ”TAMA VIVIANT”.
Aoki graduated from Kanazawa College of Art doctoral course in 2010, and is now working freelance. It will be exciting to follow her work, and see how they dazzle and captivate our minds and eyes.

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