View Akiko Hirai’s works featured on Ceramics Now Magazine
“Things that are completely perfect and things that are completely broken appear to be in two opposite conditions, yet two conditions are the same concept as a form of completion. There is no movement in these two conditions.
The waxing and the waning moon contain an expectation of completion whether it is going to be the start or the end. We are seeing the moon at the same time we are seeing our perception of time or whatever it is, we see something progressing.
To some my work may appear to be imperfect because perfection contains only one message which is clearly defined by the maker. My attempt is to create the condition of progress in my work. Something ambiguous, unsettled and imaginative so that the user of my work sees many different aspects from the object.”
“My preference of choosing types of clay when making white ware is the dark and coarse clay most of the time. The whiteness acts as a membrane or a veil. The hints of the true nature of the material appear slightly on the surface. Dark clay which consists of many impurities induces strong chemical changes in heat and the trace of events remains under the veil when it cools down. White, on the other hand, is more stable because of its purity. It is already settled and has a feeling of “stillness”.
Superficially my work appears to be quiet in white. It does not show the rawness of Mother Nature directly. A symbolic figure always looks more perfect than the actual person he/she is. Imagination and fantasy always reinforce the imperfection and achieve the perfection with its own originality.
Therefore the completion of my work is done by the viewers. My work is a creation on its own.”
“You sometimes find a connection between two or more things that appear to be completely irrelevant. We do not usually try to find these puzzles because they are hidden beyond our consciousness. We do/can not see them as they do not exist, yet occasionally there are events that trigger that sense of connection. It is almost shocking when this sensation is awoken.
When it happens, we call it “coincidence”. I believe these coincidences are lead by the incompleteness of the events. In the world of physics, everything moves towards a balanced form and completion, as does our state of mind. When you see something that is not “quite right”, your eyes automatically try to adjust it, to almost make it look right. How do we know the balance? But we do. So we gather trivial information from our everyday life and store it in a corner of our head. It is so unimportant and small if it exists solely as a fact. However, when it becomes part of something, it all makes sense.
What is the connection between my work and this small piece of writing? I try to put similar thoughts of mine into my ceramic pieces. They should not have a clear message as they are supposed to fit somewhere into the users’ mind.” Akiko Hirai
Akiko Hirai’s C.V. (resume) – View his works
EDUCATION
2002-2003 – London Institute Central Saint Martins School of Graphics and Industrial Design London
BA (Hons) Ceramic Design
2000-2002 – University of Westminster Harrow (transffrred to St. Martins)
BA (Hons) Ceramics 1st and 2nd years
1989-1993 – Aichi Gakuin University Faculty of Letters Department of Psychology Aichi Japan
Bachelor of Letters
EMPLOYMENT IN RELATION TO CERAMICS
2004–Present – Kensington & Chelsea College London
LECTURER / CERAMIC TECHNICIAN
2003 – Join in the studio ‘the Chocolate Factory Set up Akiko Hirai Ceramics
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