CENTRE FOR MODERN & CONTEMPORARY
STUDIO CERAMICS AND ORIGINAL ARTWORK

Akiko produces domestic ware for everyday use. She bases her designs on Japanese aesthetics of relativity, the beauty of imperfection, irregularity, spontaneity, and impurity. It is a white slipware depiction of a woman who is wearing white make-up. It is called Kohiki (powder blown) ware.

Born and educated in Japan, Akiko came to England in 2000 to undertake a BA (Hons) in Ceramics at Harrow (University of Westminster) and in her third year transferred to Central Saint Martins where she completed a BA(Hons ) in Ceramic Design in 2003. She joined The Chocolate Factory Studio on leaving college and since 2004 she has been a Lecturer / Ceramic Technician at Kensington and Chelsea College.

Some ceramic ware such as large storage jars have an element of sculpture. Amongst them, I am particularly fond of antique pieces. Although they are not intentionally made to be beautiful, some are extremely elegant. Strangely those that are called sculpture look less attractive and lose their modesty. However, those that are called jars exist to me as ‘tsubo’ in my native Japanese.

The association between words and my ceramic work has become very important over the last few years. The ambiguity of language is similar to the way I use ceramic materials.

When you read between the lines, what you enjoy is the subtlety. To me, good literature can induce many sensations for the reader because of how the words and context are used. Therefore, the story line is important but is clearly very sophisticated depending on how it is interpreted.
Kiko