Born in Arita, Japan, the home of Imari porcelain, Kaori has been immersed in a ceramic-rich environment from a young age, and is the last in a long line of pottery traders keeping her family tradition alive.
It was British ceramics that would capture her interest and artistic pursuits though, inspiring a move from Kyoto to London for an exchange program at the Royal College of Arts, and thus influencing a ceramic career spanning 30 years. Working in hand formed white stoneware, Kaori is informed by nature and the essence of ceramics, often working with home grown plants to capture their form with clay with incredible precision.
Kaori has exhibited internationally, and her current solo exhibition ‘Still Life’ runs until 15th December 2023 at Tristan Hoare Gallery (where we shot our beautiful images of Kaori). She’s received awards from the Crafts Council and carried out a commission for the British Museum's Grenville Room in 2009.
Tell us about your background
I was born in Arita, Japan. My family were traders of 'Arita Ware', known in Europe as Old Imari. The town of Arita is renowned for its production of porcelain tableware, immersing me in a ceramic-rich environment from a young age.
When I turned five, my family relocated to Kyoto. There, I pursued my BA and MA in ceramics at Kyoto City University of Art. In search of new and different ways to use this familiar medium, I was captivated by contemporary British ceramics during an exhibition titled, 'The Raw and The Cooked’. It toured from the Barbican Centre in London, to Shigaraki Cultural Park in Japan. It was a sensational experience for me. I was intrigued by the British sculptural ceramics and attracted to their use of lighter surfaces. As Japanese ceramics are often heavily glazed and harshly fired with wood or gas, giving them an earthy finish that I found unappealing. This led me to apply for an exchange program at the Royal College of Arts in 1995, marking the beginning of my journey in the UK which led to shaping my artistic future.
