SPACE ARITA exchange program 2024
Unnecessary/Necessities
Unnecessary was the first word I had to describe these animated friendly faces I would meet everywhere I went in Japan. Every day objects such as road work fences or manhole covers, are shamelessly animated by warm welcoming characters. Then came the realisation that these gestures are a necessity.
Through Field Work around Arita, exploring centuries of traditional Arita ware, I was struck by the many types of containers, such as the comprador bottle. A symbol of the porcelain trade between The Netherlands and Japan. These bottles are the embodiment of the adaptability of the Japanese artisans catering to European tastes. Highlighting the ongoing cultural and economic exchange for the past 400 years.
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comprador bottles, kikkoman.com
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roadwork fence (Saga, Japan)
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Unnecessary/Necessities
Unnecessary was the first word I had to describe these animated friendly faces I would meet everywhere I went in Japan. Every day objects such as road work fences or manhole covers, are shamelessly animated by warm welcoming characters. Then came the realisation that these gestures are a necessity.
Through Field Work around Arita, exploring centuries of traditional Arita ware, I was struck by the many types of containers, such as the comprador bottle. A symbol of the porcelain trade between The Netherlands and Japan. These bottles are the embodiment of the adaptability of the Japanese artisans catering to European tastes. Highlighting the ongoing cultural and economic exchange for the past 400 years.
comprador bottles, kikkoman.com
roadwork fence (Saga, Japan)
Inspired by Japan’s joyful, everyday personifications and ritualised beauty, this ceramic exploration aims to revive an appreciation for ornament and detail in modern life, coming from a culture where decorations have been deemed “unnecessary”. By integrating the industrial imprints of single-use plastics, I grasp for the last traces of ornamentation. A reminder of the beauty lost, in the pursuit of pure efficiency.
SPACE ARITA exchange program, Saga University, Arita, Japan
October 2024 > February 2025
Exhibited:
Currently at Arita Campus, Saga University
Otsu-2441-1 Ono, Arita, Saga 844-0012, Japan
18-26th of October DDW 2025
HOW&WOW Crafts Council Nederland
De Fabriek, Baarsstraat 38, 5615 RG Eindhoven
October 2024 > February 2025
Exhibited:
Currently at Arita Campus, Saga University
Otsu-2441-1 Ono, Arita, Saga 844-0012, Japan
18-26th of October DDW 2025
HOW&WOW Crafts Council Nederland
De Fabriek, Baarsstraat 38, 5615 RG Eindhoven
