MIKIKO TOMITA, Cell #2, 2016

porcelain, glaze, pigment, gold, glue, glass beads

6 x 12 x 6.5 Inches

Inquiry: info@laisunkeane.com

Exhibition

November 14 - December 12, 2020

Until the 1950s, even if Japanese women wanted to enter the pottery world, their work at kilns was only an auxiliary process, and they faced physical difficulties while being blocked by various conventions. Therefore, a continuous study began to promote kneading, forming and firing among women who blazed their own paths to become ceramic artists.

Since then, female ceramic artists have expanded their playing field as handicraft "pottery" has been changing into artistic "ceramics" including sculptural works full of creativity and design.

As independent artists, a greater number of female ceramic artists, who are most likely have studied pottery at art universities, pursue and express their world of deep contemplation in clay, and play a part in the diversity of contemporary ceramic art in Japan while freely displaying their unique visions and concepts.

In addition, the bold and precise forms, and fantastic and delicate expressions their works have been increasingly valued overseas in recent years, rather than in Japan.

We are proud to bring you four contemporary Japanese female artists, Mikiko Tomita, Mayumi Nakamura, Sayaka Shingu and Mio Yamaguchi, artists at different stages of their careers for a group exhibition in Boston. Tomita exhibited in the USA more than 10 years ago in a seminal exhibition, Touch Fire at the Smith College, MA while Nakamura, Shingu and Yamaguchi are exhibiting for the first time here.

The exhibition will be held at our gallery located at 460C Harrison Ave Boston MA as well as viewable online. We plan to release videos of the artists talking about their works with a Japanese interpreter. An exhibition catalogue will be published.

MIKIKO TOMITA, Cell #2

SKU: MIT005

$3,200.00

1972    Born in Osaka, Japan

1996    Kyoto City University of Arts

The Encouragement Award of Reunion, Tomimoto Award-winner

Solo Exhibitions

1999    Gallery Maronie, Kyoto

2000   INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo and Hokkaido

2001    INAX Tile Museum, Aichi

Masuda Studio, Tokyo

2002    Kobo IKUKO, Okayama

2013    YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi (’07, ’12)

2015    ART NAGOYA 2015, YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi

2017    Meguro Gallery, Mie (’03, ’06, ’09, ’11, ’14)

SILVER SHELL, Tokyo (’07, ’11, ’13, ’15)

2019    YOU-Yuusya Gallery SAPPORO, Hokkaido

Group Exhibitions

2003    Flowers of Contemporary Ceramic Art -Focusing on Ceramists of Western Japan / Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki

2008    Saint Sex Spirit - Seducing Crafts - / Takashimaya Shinjuku Store, Tokyo

2009    Treasure to the Future / Takashimaya Nihombashi, Shinjuku, Osaka and Kyoto

The Power of Decoration, The Viewpoint on Contemporary Ceramics / Craft Gallery, The National Museum of
Modern Art, Tokyo

2010    The 5th Paramita Museum Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition / Paramita Museum, Mie

Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists / Smith College Museum, USA

2015    KOBE ART MARCHE / KOBE MERIKEN PARK ORIENTAL HOTEL, Hyogo

2016    SOFA CHICAGO / Smith College Museum, USA

2017    The Splendid Ceramics - The Expression of Seven Women Artists / Ginza WAKO, Tokyo

Nitten / The National Art Center, Tokyo

Collections

Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture

Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Research Center

LIXIL

Art Print Japan’s Art Shop in Tokyo International Forum

Smith College Museum, USA
First, I make shapes by hand forming with coils or slip casting or throwing with porcelain or semi-porcelain. I change technique depending on the shape to make.

When the shapes are completed, I conduct process of biscuit firing, then applying glazes and firing at 1230 degrees.　I use the glaze that does not peel off the overglaze painting. I apply an overglaze on the fired glaze to add a lot. If the glaze is not compatible, the overglaze peels off. The overglaze is fired twice: first fire at 800 degrees and second fire at 750 degrees, then gold painting is fired at 700 degrees.

The overglaze is mixed with glue and water. The glue is a Japanese traditional material that is made from seaweed. About 1 millimeter is embossed to paint the pattern. This technique comes from Banko-yaki, one of well-known ceramic designs in Japan. I learned this technique when I lived in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Now I compose the overglazes by myself, as I want more colors for my works. After first firing I paint again and add more paintings on top of the first painting.

Finally, I draw very thin lines applying gold paint.

Shading is created by the unevenness of the overglazing, which represents an interesting texture and a mysterious feel is given by thin lines of gold paint.
I am interested in religious architectures and decorations such as churches, temples, shrines and mosques, which are the inspirations for my works. Also, the sources of my works are substances, organisms and plants which are comprised of catenary curves, logarithmic spirals and fractal structures, the forms of stars that are composed of the law of the universe, the atoms that have the same law as that of the universe, the forms of molecules that atoms make, the forms of organisms and plants that molecules make.

I feel the similar impression and find the similar beauty among religious spaces, cosmos and nature. I think that’s because humans have awe and respect for nature, feel a supernatural power and decorate religious spaces and ritual sites for worship. Since humans are also parts of nature, they sense the laws of nature and the universe in their DNA and decorate to embody them.

I also feel the laws of nature and the universe in my DNA and continue to create patterns and forms that spring from my heart and soul. I totally immerse myself in creating works just like a prayer of religious ritual.

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MIKIKO TOMITA, Cell #2

Artist CV

Work process

Artist Statement