Sota Kimura
YP
What is your current working and living environment like? Howdoes it influence your creative work?
SK
I live surrounded by nature. When firing carbonised vessels, I need natural plant ash, so being here allows me to gather plants and wood myself, burn them, and produce my own. That would be very difficult in a city. Living so close to nature gives me the freedom to experiment.
YP
Could you tell us about the firing technique used in your work?
SK
These vessels are all fired using a carbonisation process. Even the charcoal placed inside the saggars, the protective clay containers used during firing, is made by me.
YP
In your work, how do you see the relationship between traditionand the contemporary?
SK
When I studied at the pottery school in Mashiko, we were taught about the beauty of mingei (folk crafts). Of course, we also studied contemporary art. But the beauty of everyday vessels is something you discover through holding and using them. It’s difficult to explain in words. The glazes I use, for example, are often very traditional, even understated. But once you hold the piece, you can sense its quality and how naturally it functions in the hand. At the same time, I also explore more contemporary glazes. Little by little, I hope to bring tradition and modernity closer together.
