Akiko Hirai is one of the foremost potters in the UK with pieces in extremely high demand. She makes practical ware using the Japanese tradition of allowing the clay itself to show the way in which it wants to be fired.
Hirai was born in Shizuoka Japan in 1970, she moved to London in 1999, studying ceramics at the University of Westminster and Central St. Martins. Her work is both a blend of Japanese and British studio pottery traditions resulting in asymmetrical, 'imperfect' organic forms. By focusing on the object and viewer, Hirai's work allows the beholder to discover the language of the objects in their own way.
Hirai was born in Shizuoka Japan in 1970, she moved to London in 1999, studying ceramics at the University of Westminster and Central St. Martins. Her work is both a blend of Japanese and British studio pottery traditions resulting in asymmetrical, 'imperfect' organic forms. By focusing on the object and viewer, Hirai's work allows the beholder to discover the language of the objects in their own way.
Hirai's Sake Bottles and Moon Jars are especially sought after artworks. The Moon Jars are influenced by the Korean examples of the 17th and 18th centuries. Her desire to make them has to do with their innate imperfection and balance within their environment. This is purposeful; she believes that when we see something imperfect or unfinished, our eyes try to make it into a perfect form, and as a result, our imagination is engaged.
Akiko uses various building techniques including throwing, hand-building, casting and coiling. She applies several layers of slips and glazes to create the complex tones and textures for each ceramic piece. Her work has a remarkable purity and is deeply textured in soft white, matt black or natural colours. The forms created are simple and satisfying. She chooses very rough dark clay and often glazes it with white or pale colours to form a veil between the rough forms underneath and the smooth calm of the exterior. Akiko’s extensive range of ceramics include fine pieces of porcelain, large moon jars, simple Morandi bottles and deeply glazed platters.
Akiko’s ceramics are held in many private collections and displayed in museums worldwide including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Fitzwillam Museum in Cambridge, the National Museum of Ireland and the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. She was shortlisted for the prestigious international Loewe Craft Prize in 2019.
Akiko’s ceramics are held in many private collections and displayed in museums worldwide including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The Fitzwillam Museum in Cambridge, the National Museum of Ireland and the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York. She was shortlisted for the prestigious international Loewe Craft Prize in 2019.
14 February 2024
