HIROKO HATANO

Born in Tokyo, Hiroko Hatano spent her high school years in California, USA visiting folk art galleries and antique shops from around the world in Berkeley. After returning to Japan, she majored in cultural anthropology at Waseda University. She is currently based in Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace. Although she has loved making things since childhood, Hatano started making pottery as a hobby in 1993. Since 2008 she has been working with glass after becoming interested in Pâte de Verre, a technique of pressing glass powders into a mold, thinking that the technique produced pieces that resembled excavated items. With a background in ceramics, one of the characteristics of Hatono’s method is that she uses a potter’s wheel to create the prototypes for her glass pieces. Once a piece has been made, Hatano dedicates a long time to assiduously carving and polishing the glass until the weight and texture are to her satisfaction. She prefers simple shapes that showcase her use of pigment, glass particles, and air bubbles. The result is a dynamic exploration of her material that is both refined and energetic.