"I create to make things painted come to life, by caring the tactile and sense from my hands, and invisible things ."
Sakura Tokiyama is an artist who works in a wide range of media, including painting, ceramics, installation, and as an art unit. I visited and interviewed her in her studio at Tokyo Zokei University.
Let's take a glimpse into the background of her unique works, which are created with a relaxed sense of humor.
WHY DID YOU START MAKING CERAMICS?
There are several reasons.
I first became interested in ceramic when I was a graduate student. I wanted to make a three-dimensional work, and when I was looking for materials to make it, ceramics came to mind as an option, and I thought I'd give it a try.
Second reason is that I saw the works of SHOKKI and Mari Tanimoto, and was so impressed by their works. I guess making ceramic art was in trend among the artists at that time.
The third reason was to visit "Mayuyama Gallery" in Ginza, a gallery that collects antiques and folk art ceramics. It was a gallery owned by a relative of Mr.Yoshito Takahashi, a professor of mine at university. He recommended that I may visit there. I saw works from China's Song Dynasty and other ceramics from thousands of years ago, and was amazed by the strength of the materials, the beauty of the shapes, and colors. Then I gradually became aware that I should try my hand at ceramics.
SO, THERE WERE VARIOUS TRIGGERS, BUT THE FEELING OF BEING MOVED BY CHINESE ANTIQUES PUSHED YOU FORWARD, RIGHT?
Yes, I can't make pottery to that level, but I am very interested in the shapes that people have made. At that time, I thought it was fascinating that not only the material of pottery, but also the individuality of people's work can be seen through pottery. I also felt the possibility of being able to reflect what I wanted to express in my own work in ceramics.
HAVE YOU DISCOVERED ANYTHING NEW WHEN YOU STARTED MAKING CERAMICS?
I thought that the characteristics of ceramics match my creative style. When I touch the clay, it takes on the shape of my hand, but when I put it in the kiln and take it out, it has a completely different glaze color. I feel like that ceramic is some kind of weird creature that doesn't let me do what I want. I enjoy that nature of material as I've always loved living things.
DO YOU FIND THINGS DON'T TURN OUT THE WAY YOU WANT, OR ENCOUNTER UNEXPECTED THINGS WHEN YOU CREATE PAINTINGS?
When I make paintings, I care about the element of chance, and I try not to leave my own brushstrokes. I have dialogues with the painting, such as scratching the lines and drawing, using loose paint and letting the water or oil flow to keep the fluidity. Create the base and colors, and then I draw the lines again. I feel like I want to put a little bit of color in places that I can't control, so I randomly place colors by using a brush.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN YOUR MINDSET WHEN CREATING PAINTINGS AND CERAMICS?
I don't think of them as separate, but rather as an extension of my painting, which is connected to my ceramics. I think of drawing as a dialogue between myself and the material. For example, if I put wood here and pink there, then light blue here, and so on. Drawing is some kind of way to explore my own reaction to the material. It's the same with ceramics, even if the material changes.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN CREATING YOUR WORKS?
Not only in ceramics, but in making art in general, I care if I'm enjoying to create. I want to make each piece in different shapes. I use a potter's wheel, but I want to create works that make the most of the hand's habits, or the shapes that are created by chance. I think that somehow it will give my work a more natural atmosphere. I try not to think too much about forcing it to be perfectly beautiful, but rather to give it the shape that it already has.
WHEN DO YOU FEEL HAPPINESS OR JOY WHEN CREATING?
I enjoy making pottery by getting excited about the cuteness of the shapes before making them. I draw the shape of the tableware, and look at other artists' ceramic works on the Internet. I also look at the websites of tableware makers like Kinto and iittala and feel, "This shape is cute!、I look at illustrated books on folk art and so on.
Drawings of motifs to be painted. She started with the octopus without hesitation.
SO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RAISE YOUR SPIRITS BEFORE YOU CREATE, RATHER THAN WHEN CREATING?
It's pretty important. I've recently realized that if I don't make it in a good mood, I tend to fail. There were quite a few times when I wasn't in the mood for pottery, but when I touched the wheel, everything failed. I couldn't make a single piece that day, so I thought I needed to make up my mind. Researching on forms and folk art and something related to pottery before making, leads me to create a better form and makes me happy.
Even the mouse pad has illustrations of creatures...!
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC FAVORITE ORIGIN PLACE FOR POTTERY WORKS?
I used to go to "Mayuyama Gallery" a lot, so Chinese Song Dynasty ceramics are my great favorite. I also like to go to the The Japan Folk Crafts Museum once in a while to look at modern tableware. I also like Scandinavian ceramics, but I really like the sensitivity of oriental art, so that's probably a big influence on me. Well, I like various things without boundaries.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ENJOY THE WIDE RANGE OF THINGS YOU LIKE.
I tend to like a lot of things. I also like the backgrounds in which things were made, and I enjoy doing that by myself. I always wonder what the people were thinking when they made them. Like, why do they have legs here, and why did they made such a small accessory case...?
YOU ARE INFLUENCED BY A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS SUCH AS MAKER'S TABLEWARE, FOLK CRAFTS, AND CHINESE ANTIQUES. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT INSPIRES YOU ?
Living things always inspire me. I often make things based on what I feel when I interact with them. For example, I decided to draw a butterfly after interacting with a butterfly.
Before she learned that pencil lines disappear in firing, she used to draw without drafting, wow!
I also like to listen to music, so I sometimes write lyrics on the art works from my favorite music. I wrote lyrics from a song by the band "Spitz" that I like. I also wrote the lyrics for a song in Chinese by a band called the "Siamese Cats". I decide the color of the glaze by the mood I'm in, when listening to the music.Somehow, the songs I listen to at the time are reflected in my pottery.
WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITIES DO YOU DO?
This is an art unit, and I've been working with a college classmate named Shihoka Imai. We perform together, exhibit, and sell things, etc.We made this unit to do anything weird. Well, we're just good friends.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HANGING OUT WITH YOUR FRIEND?
That's right. (Laughs) It's like we're really elementary school kids. For example, one day, throwing rocks into the river to play, and another day, doing spartan performances where we just continue making noize for about 10 hours.
IT'S LIKE TORTURE TO KEEP THE SOUND GOING FOR 10 HOURS. (LAUGHS)
I was so young at that time. I guess I'm trying to be a little out of the box, a little out of my element, a little out of my comfort zone. Recently, we've been running an online store called "bye-bye store", where we sell weird things we have at home. I also sell my ceramic works there.
It looks like an octopus sacrifice ceremony.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE UNIT NAME "KAN-KON-SOU-SAI"?
*"Kan-Kon-Sou-Sai" is a Japanese idiom, meaning “Weddings and Funerals”. We thought a four-letter idiom might be good, and then decided "Kan-Kon-Sou-Sai”.
THE SENSE THAT YOU TWO CAN BOTH AGREE ON THAT WORD IS AMAZING.
Everybody asks us why? Maybe our overlap of sensibilities is unique. (Laughing) I like to rhyme, or play with words.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGE FOR USERS, PLEASE!
I want people who buy my works to be free to use it, or rather, I really want to leave it to them. I wish my works will be in a comfortable place in your home, a place where they can fit in. I want them to be as free as a child leaving the nest from a nest when they leave me.
ORIFT OWNER'S COMMENT
Moving between different methods of expression, and finding things she likes in a borderless way. I thought these are the elements that creates her works not just cute, but also curious. Enjoy her work in your own way!
Profile photo by Sakura Tokiyama
SAKURA TOKIYAMA
Artist
Graduated from Tokyo Zokei University. Started to learn pottery by herself, and practiced potter's wheel and hand-twisting techniques by searching on the internet. She also worked as an intern at SHOKKI, a handmade ceramic label in Japan. Currently works on ceramics and paintings at the university's studio space for teaching assistants.
Website sakuratokiyama.tumblr.com
Instagram @sakura_tokiyama