"I try to keep the intention of the molten glass as it is, and create a form in dialogue with materials."
Yuri Iwamoto is a glass artist, currently working in Toyama Prefecture.
Her works have a sense of living things that seem to come to life, and a charm that makes you want to keep them around you. Let's take a glimpse into the background of her works.
WHY DID YOU START CREATING YOUR WORKS WITH GLASS?
I originally entered art university because I wanted to learn textile design, but as I studied, I realized that what I wanted to express with textiles was more graphical things, such as color matching and drawing patterns.
When I was wondering if there is any other way to explore the relationship between colors besides being created by dyes, I encountered the glass works of Oiva Toikka. I was fascinated by the warmth and soft atmosphere created by the combination of soft, unidentifiable colors.
I was also attracted to the character of glass that can stand on its own, and the color "transparent" that keeps light, which is not found in other materials. So I chose the material glass and have been working with it.
WHAT IS THE CHARM OF GLASS AS A MATERIAL?
There are a lot! (Laughing)
Firstly, the mysterious process. I create the shape when the glass is hot and soft, and when it cools down, it stops moving. I feel that this is a mysterious process that preserves the history of time and action.
Secondly, the transparent color. I like this color as it lets me think of imaginary creatures, such as aliens, and plankton or jellyfish.
Thirdly, the inviolable world inside the glass. This untouchable area makes me feel a bit sacred, especially with solid glass.
Fourthly, the shape formed by light. I like the illusion as if the glass is floating, when the light stays in various shapes.
There are many charms of this material, but recently I’m most fascinated by that energy. This mysterious material sways the space just by placing it in a room. I think glass has the power to “sway the air”.
WHEN I PLACED YOUR ART PIECE "MELON FLAVOR" IN A DARK ROOM, IT GLOWED AND HAD A MYSTERIOUS APPEARANCE!
Yes, it glows. Our lives are surrounded by industrial products, so it changes a mood when a piece of livingly glass jumps into your space.
This green glass is the art piece named “melon flavor”
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN CREATING?
Try to face the form that is in front of me right now.
I draw a lot of sketches of the shape, and then I create it by planning the process. However glass is such a tricky material that it doesn't always turn out the way I want.
Unexpected shape suddenly appears as there are so many complicated elements that come into play, such as the glass moving more or less than expected, melting or not melting at all. When an unexpected shape comes out, I get very panicked like "Oh my god, what should I do?" (Laughs)
I can force myself to fix it to the shape I wanted, but I try to focus on the shape in front of me and put aside my feelings, such as "I wanted to do it this way" or "I should have done it this way"
I rather think positively like, "Oh, this is beautiful, so stop modifying now," or "I'll just pull this part and be done with it" or "Let's just combine these parts". Glass can only hold its shape for a moment, so these decisions are made in 4~5 seconds.
WOW, YOU CAN'T MISS A SINGLE MOMENT.
Yes, really. I always tend to stop breathing for quite a while. (Laughing) I unconsciously hold my breath like I'm threading a needle.
YOUR WORKS SEEM TO HAVE A RELAXED MOOD, BUT IT WAS UNEXPECTED THAT THEY WERE MADE IN A PROCESS FILLED WITH TENSION.
I don't think I look like that at all to the people around me. (Laughing) It's like I'm falling from a very high place and wondering where I'm going to land. Well, I don't have that experience, of course. I sometimes feel like I want to take my time and create, just like when working with clay.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STUDY IN FINLAND AS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT?
I had originally planned to go to Tokyo University of the Arts, but I failed and entered Musashino Art University (Tokyo, Japan). My original dream did not come true, but Musashino Art University had an exchange study program with Aalto University in Finland. I thought I should go there, because Scandinavian design was my passion to study art. That ambition is the first reason.
Second reason is that I realized Finnish glass was quite unique when I started to create my works. My current work is influenced a lot by Finnish glass. In Finland, there are many works that bring out the nature of glass, such as the works made by Oiva, Tapio Wirkkala and Kaj Franck. For example, remaining spread glass marks and showing them as charm. I felt the generous attitude toward glass.
Works created in other countries tend to have organized shape by controlling the chaotic motion of glass. Well it might not be good to categorize by country though.
I also think that Finnish designers are able to synchronize the natural shapes of water and ice with glass, since they observe closely the shape of ice. It is interesting that I don't find that kind of design in Sweden. I wanted to know the reason for their uniqueness.
HAVE YOU ACTUALLY FELT THE SPIRIT OF CRAFTSMANSHIP INFLUENCED BY NATURE WHEN YOU STUDIED AT FINLAND?
When I went there, I found that that kind of craftsmanship had become a bit of a thing of the past. The educational policy of Aalto University aims to create well-organized forms, as it is a school of design. But I felt that there is still a mindset of bringing out the best of raw materials.
Other good things were that I could see works that were not in the catalogs of museums and second hand stores around the country, and meet people who inherited that mindset. The old Finnish design mindset was disappearing, yet still left.
BESIDES FINNISH DESIGNERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ARTISTS OR DESIGNERS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED YOU?
The glass artist Ritsue Mishima, based in Venice. She had the same impact on me as Oiva. I was also impressed by Erik Hoglund. Not a huge influence on me, but I like that his work styles are between product and craft.
I also felt selfishly frustrated that Jochen Holz was creating what I wanted to, before me. (Laughing) His work is made by "burner work" using glass tubes, not hot work. I thought he beat me by his idea of creating wrinkled glass into sophisticated works, instead of using straight ones.
DID YOU SEE HIM AS A BIT AS A RIVAL?
Yes, I was wowed by his work even though I couldn't make anything yet. I remember that I had that cheeky thought when I was about 20 years old.
Tools to create glass works. * Photo credit Yuri Iwamoto
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
What I have been looking at for the past few years are the forms of ancient civilizations, and my most favorite is the Minoan civilization on Crete. I think this civilization has many lovely and mysterious things. For example, flowers blooming from a jar, or two shapes fused into one. I used to go to the Tokyo National Museum in search of the sacred forms of objects made as magical tools and ritual objects.
The objects used in such scenes tend to have symmetrical shapes. I am very influenced by the strength that lives in them, and the way they express the fundamental wishes and strong feelings of people, such as wanting to live and have children.
I also really like tea bowls and distorted beauty, as I was in the tea ceremony club in college.I think that's where I got the idea to put space for imagination in things. I was influenced by this culture which enjoys unique combinations, such as arranging flowers in a bowl which seems to be difficult to use. And from there, I really admire folk crafts.
When I look over my favorites folder, I see that I basically like the plump mochi-ike shapes.
TELL US SOME EXAMPLE OF YOUR FAVORITE “PLUMP MOCHI-LIKE SHAPES”
Fish liver, pork liver, potatoes with strange curves, and so on. When I find something cute, I usually look it up. I like shapes that are filled with something, such as the milt of a blowfish, and I think this is also connected to my love of ancient shapes.
HOW DID YOU COME TO GET INSPIRED BY THE MINOAN CIVILIZATION
The very first chance I had was a Greek art history class I took in college. There is a famous mural art with women in a blue background. I thought the use of colors and the way their eyes cannot contact my eyes were interesting. They seem to be independent when you cannot make eye contact and I felt them like sacred creatures. I was really fascinated by those elements.
So I actually went to Crete when I was studying in Finland. I also wanted to soak up the sun, since the winter weather in Helsinki was too hard for me. (Laughing) I went to a museum that has a collection of artifacts from the Minoan civilization. It was absolutely a power spot for me!
WERE THERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO GO TO THE MUSEUM TO SEE?
I'm sure that the famous works that appear in art textbooks are exhibited in traveling exhibitions. But I was fascinated by the cute things that don't seem to have any historical value such as junk vases.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE IN THE FUTURE?
There are so many things I want to try when creating shapes, such as trying new combinations of colors. In terms of new challenges in creativity or concept, I want to make works that respect the relationship between the work and the place where it is placed.
For example, at my solo exhibition at the hotel/gallery HOUSE HOLD in Himi (A city in Toyama prefecture, Japan), I exhibited based on a theme, "town and glass". I said to myself, "I'm going to put my work in this place, in this building that embraces the relaxed atmosphere of Himi". or "Let's place it casually". I really enjoyed thinking about the relationship between the place and the work like "This work should be here because it has a view of the ocean".
I would like to put my glass works in more spaces, such as residences, offices, and hospitals, and "sway various spaces”.
THE FRASE “I WANT TO SWAY THE SPACE" IS COOL, LIKE A DJ.
It's like “shaking the house”. (Laughing) I'd also like to do something like an artist-in-residence program or a triennale, where I can absorb the history and atmosphere of the place and create. I'd like to do that as soon as this pandemic is over.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC REGION OR PLACE YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXHIBIT?
There are places that I want to capture the essence of! For example, Crete, which has influenced me. Places like Sicily, where various civilizations intersect. I'm also interested in the Caucasus region. Also, Jingdezhen, a friend of mine moved there and I thought it would be interesting.
It's like my wish list of places I want to visit. (Laughing)
Small citrus “sudachi” on one of the two mouths of the vase.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE COMBINATION OF FLOWERS AND YOUR WORKS?
I like to put a chunk of glass with a grapefruit, or a pineapple head with a piece of plate glass. I also like to put a whole grapefruit on a small piece of glass vase, so that the glass becomes a piece of jewelry for the fruit. It's not even arranging it in a glass vase. (Laughing). I enjoy the combination of glass and plant textures.
Vegetables are cute too. Especially broccoli. At first it's just green, but it gradually blossoms and turns into yellow, which is very dramatic.
I also eat radishes after arranging them. I love the unique balance that I can't describe, when I put a single radish on one of the two mouths of the vase. This arrangement is like celebrating a radish's birthday. Like, “It's a special day, so I dressed up”.
IF YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGES FOR USERS, PLEASE!
The first thing I want to say is that “I'm sorry it's so hard to use”. (Laughing) The reason why I make vases and objects prioritizing the form is that I want the users to be challenging. Because I like to challenge myself.
For example, I enjoy the miraculous balance that is created when I put a piece of junk that I found into a vase. Of course, there are times when I fail with the combinations. I want the users to be actively involved in the work, and that's the reason why my works in general take on that kind of form.
Basically, I make flower vases, but you don't have to arrange flowers. It makes me happy if my work becomes something that is always with you. Like a cactus that grows in your neighborhood. I create my work as if I were making a good luck charm, so it would be nice if my work could watch over you.
Glass is born after being passed through a flame, so it's like a mass of energy by itself. I hope that my works could cheer you up just by having them in your home!
ORIFT OWNER’S COMMENT
Not only the way she thinks toward her works, but also metaphors and the words she chooses like "swaying the space with glass" were very interesting and fascinating for me. The idea to get involved with artworks in a free way, such as using fruits and vegetables as the main subject and enjoying glass as an accessory was fresh and interesting. I would like to challenge new combinations with her works!
Studio and profile photo credit 2021, Yuri Iwamoto
YURI IWAMOTO
Glass artist
Graduated from Musashino Art University. While a student at the university, she studied at Aalto University in Finland as an exchange student. Currently based in Toyama, Japan, she creates a wide range of works including vases and sculptures using hot work technique.
Website yuriiwamoto.tumblr.com
Instagram @gan_gannmo