Akiko Yanagawa 'Japanese Teabowl III'
Dimensions - H 7.5cm x Ø 14cm
Care - Gentle hand wash
Technique - Hand or mould shaped, water-based interventions (a process of submerging clay in water before firing)
Material - A mixture of wild clays
*Exact form and finish may slightly vary.
Description
By embracing unpredictability, Yanagawa’s work communicates a relationship between intention and natural forces. Her vessels are hand or mould shaped, and then submerged underwater. By allowing the natural rhythms of the water to further define the contours and markings on vessels, plates, and bowls, her pieces assume organic erosion through coarse textures and irregular impressions on the clay.
In these works, cobalt blues melt into metallic teals, allowing the ceramics to mimic metal corrosion. Dark greys bring these blues to the surface, introducing the piece to the viewer as that of an ancient relic. Yanagawa’s hand shaping introduces a sense of daintiness that could otherwise only be achieved with the passing of time.
Simultaneously understanding the delicacy of chance and the intention of creation, Akiko Yanagawa’s works portray a desire to understand the world’s natural forces through craft, embodying a fine balance between fragility and ruggedness.
About the Artist
Born in Tokyo in 1987, Yanagawa graduated from Meiji University before completing her studies at the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 2017. Following earlier work as a designer for a tile manufacturer, she established her independent practice in 2022.
