Ikuko Iwamoto is a designer-maker, creating beautiful ceramic pieces from her tiny London studio. Since starting out in Japan, she has acquired masterly skills in her craft, an uncompromising and painstakingly hand-made processes.
Creating award-winning ceramics
Ikuko's ceramics have won a number of awards, including the Ceramic Review Prize for Innovation at Ceramic Art London 2009. Iwamoto then staged a solo show, ‘Space and Object’, back in her home town of Wakayama.
She has also been shortlisted for an award at the British Ceramic Biennial, and exhibited an installation there.
Ikuko's work has an uncompromising purity that is captivating. The most striking pieces are delicate and surprising, as if they once had organic life and are now frozen in chalk-white beauty. They conjure up a surreal underwater world of sea anemones and coral structures.
Despite their beauty and often fragile appearance, a lot of Ikuko's work remains functional. She encourages people to touch her pieces, which are very tactile. Raised dots and spikes are a constant, distinctive feature of the ceramics.
Inspired by the imperfect
The link to Ikuko's Japanese heritage remains strong. Many of her pieces reflect the concept of Wabi-Sabi, a tradition which celebrates the ‘beauty of the imperfect’ and the idea that inanimate objects can communicate feelings. She is also inspired by music, which can be seen in the rhythmic quality of her work.
Ceramics is a specialised field. You need originality, patience, and the ability to stay relaxed, as everything is a slow process.
Ikuko describes her work as, “a world of intricacy and detail, of mathematical pattern and organic chaos, of beauty and repulsion.” She remains fascinated with microscopic detail, a passion which began as a teenager whilst scanning her friend’s science books.
Moreover, she simply loves the feel of clay in her hands. Her obsessive attention to detail means she is happy when she reaches the delicate and intricate decorating phase of her work. Her least favourite part of the process is creating the moulds for casting – and feels most stressed when touching plaster at this stage.
A career in ceramics
Ikuko began her education in ceramics in 1990 when she enrolled on the Crafts and History (Ceramic) course at Tezukayama College, Japan. After this, she became her ceramics tutor’s assistant, while also teaching ceramic design at other colleges.
In 2001, on the recommendation of her tutor, she left Japan to study in London. She studied first at Camberwell College of Art, before completing her MA in 2006 at the Royal College of Art.
A significant creative development came about through working for an inclusive design project at the RCA. Designing for people who may be visually impaired, Ikuko explored and developed the tactile quality of her pieces, inviting people to investigate her work through touch as well as sight. She set up her studio at Crafts Central immediately after graduation, and regularly exhibits at major craft and design fairs.
Until 2009, the scale of Ikuko's work has been restricted by the size of her kiln – an essential but expensive piece of the ceramicist’s kit. With help from the Crafts Council, she bought and installed a larger kiln and is excited by the future possibilities this has opened up, “I feel I have become free!”.
Ikuko created some larger pieces, including lamp stands, to show the London Design Festival. She is grateful for the ongoing support of the UK Crafts Council and Crafts Central, a not-for-profit organisation working to support designer-makers.
The future as a ceramic artist
The immediate future for Ikuko is mapped out: she is currently busy creating new work for forthcoming exhibitions. In the short-term she wants to gain more exposure for her work, exhibiting in more galleries and shows. Open studio days, held twice a year at Crafts Central, enable Iwamoto to sell her work directly to the public.
The most striking pieces are delicate and surprising, as if they once had organic life and are now frozen in chalk-white beauty. They conjure up a surreal underwater world of sea anemones and coral structures.
These are tough times for many in the craft industry. Ikuko is exploring opportunities to create more affordable items to complement her more intricate and expensive work. In addition to the large-scale work that excites her, she is currently experimenting with miniature pieces, such as collectable ceramic brooches.
In the long-term, she would like to divide her time between Japan and the UK. She is also keeping an eye on developments to make ceramic creation a more eco-friendly process.
Advice for ceramic artists
Ceramics is a specialised field, and Ikuko believes originality is the key to success. Patience, and the ability to “remain cool and relaxed”, is also useful, as everything is such a slow process.
A determined attitude is essential for anyone pursuing a career in art-based ceramics, together a genuine passion for creating beautiful objects by hand.
You can see more of Ikuko Iwamoto's work at www.ikukoi.co.uk
