Ceramics With Vitality
Hiroyuki Tomita. Photography by Yulia Skogoreva for IKEBANA projects
Kanagawa-born artist Hiroyuki Tomita received a classical training in ceramics before breaking free from traditional forms. He has joined various contemporary movements including the extreme pottery group Hyouge Jissaku and continues his experiments with ancient techniques and contemporary forms. Tomita’s ceramic vessel became a centerpiece of the Ikeru project. We met up with the artist and spoke about his vision of Ikebana and its connection with ceramic art.
What did you think of Makiko Morange and Reito Oizumi’s choice of your vessel for their ikebana arrangement?
I believe that ikebana is a once-in-a-lifetime sculpture.
I value their artistic talent and was really excited to see how the vase would transform with their ikebana arrangement. I was very much looking forward to it.
Have you anticipated the work to be such a contemporary piece?
Works of ikebana artists always surprise me in a good way. Of course, I could never have imagined the look of it but it turned out beautiful.
Do you think the arrangement resonated with the contemporary art gallery space?
I believe that ikebana can be displayed anywhere, whether it is a concrete room like the Cave Gallery or an old house, as long as the ikebana artist has something to say. This is because both flowers and people have a lot of power. And their environment, life, is equally precious and beautiful.
What is the main source of inspiration for your creative work?
I am inspired not only by the works of great artists of the past, but also by new works that appear daily. This is not limited to ceramics. I am influenced by paintings, sculptures, music, movies, and all kinds of cultures, not only Japanese, but coming from all over the world. I’m keeping an open mind and trying to be receptive and sensitive to everything new, without setting up any limitations.
When you create your ceramic pieces do you ever have flowers in mind?
Yes, I do. Creating an ikebana can be quite a challenging process. I would like my vases to be more like the earth, where the flowers themselves can stand on their own, with their own vitality, rather than being a tool for the ikebana artist.
