Interview with Yuichi Yukinoura, on the Eve of His Upcoming Exhibition

Hanada: Have you been interested in making things since you were a child? You studied mathematics at university, didn’t you?

Yuichi Yukinoura: I loved drawing and making things from a young age. But I enrolled in the sciences at university because at the time I planned to become a teacher. I was also interested in studying art, but I chose the sciences since it made it easier to become a teacher.
However, I took art as a minor. Most people choose something like English or sociology as a minor. So during university, I was studying classical painting and mathematics at the same time.

Hanada: There are many points where mathematics and art intersect, aren’t there?

Yuichi Yukinoura: When we look at something and think it’s beautiful, I believe there are mathematical aspects involved, such as the golden ratio.
And even in mathematics, recognizing the beauty of a sequence of numbers relies on one’s sensibility.
I felt that mathematics, too, possesses both a digital and an intuitive side.

Hanada: I come from a humanities background, but many of the science-minded people around me—mathematicians especially—seem to be pure romantics.

Yuichi Yukinoura: I can’t speak for others, but I certainly am (laughs).
In the end, after graduating from the mathematics department, I entered an art program.
I studied fresco and tempera painting.

Hanada: So your focus was mainly Western-style painting.

Yuichi Yukinoura: Yes, at first I was interested in Western painting. These days, though, I’m more drawn to Japanese painting in general.

Hanada: And from there, you moved into ceramics.

Yuichi Yukinoura: I encountered ceramics at university and became interested in it. After graduating, I returned to my hometown in Hokkaido. Just at that time, the ceramics division of the Industrial Research Institute in Nopporo was looking for trainees, so I wrote them a letter and they immediately told me to come. I remember writing quite passionately about my enthusiasm for ceramics (laughs).

Hanada:　And that’s when you began making tableware.

Yuichi Yukinoura: Even if I made artistic, object-like pieces, they wouldn’t easily reach ordinary people. I wanted to remain within the world of craft, and to be connected to the everyday lives of regular people.

Hanada: Were you aiming for your current style from the beginning?

Yuichi Yukinoura: I wanted to create work that is easy to use and contains a balanced degree of my own expression, and to use as much as possible local glazes and clay from Iwate, where I chose to base my studio.

Hanada: Kazuhiko Kudo also places great importance on using local materials.
Yuichi Yukinoura: I believe there are forms of expression that can only emerge from a particular place.

 

Hanada:　 No matter how advanced distribution systems or information technology become, the climate and character of a region have an enormous influence on the people and things there—and of course, that cannot be ignored.
Rather than trying to eliminate or control those elements, I think it suits the Japanese temperament to coexist with them and make the most of them. Each region’s climate and character naturally inspire affection and attachment. You use ash from Morioka apples, don’t you?

Yuichi Yukinoura: That’s right. I blend clay from around Morioka, Hanamaki, and Tono. Occasionally I mix in some Shigaraki clay as well.

Hanada:　You don’t often hear about clay from Iwate, do you?

Yuichi Yukinoura: It may sound strange, but Iwate clay is simply unassuming. It’s not pure white, nor is it especially sticky or easy to handle. And yet… I feel a certain attachment to it.
I love researching both clay and glazes. I’ve accumulated quite a bit of data over time.

Hanada: That’s the researcher in you. With your ash glaze, using conventional methods probably wouldn’t achieve that clarity, brightness, and depth.

Yuichi Yukinoura: I apply three to four layers of glaze, each with a slightly different composition.
The base layer uses apple ash from Shizukuishi. For the second layer, I add a bit of feldspar and use apple ash from Shiwa.　The third layer is almost the same, but with a slightly different type of feldspar. Some pieces require two bisque firings.

Hanada: It must have been difficult to achieve that look consistently.
Yuichi Yukinoura: At first, I mixed things rather casually and worked by feel. As a result, the outcome was completely different each time. Looking back, that was only natural—but eventually I began recording data and following it carefully.

Hanada: In time, you also developed your indigo-blue glaze. It’s clearly different from traditional lapis glazes.

Yuichi Yukinoura: Japanese people have always loved the color of indigo dye. Rather than the vivid brightness of a lapis glaze, I wanted to maintain the translucency that comes from melted ash, while bringing out a color that seems to gently seep to the surface.

 

Hanada:　 You’ve also introduced an olive tone.

Yuichi Yukinoura: Yes, that’s a nice one too.

Hanada:　And what about the amber glaze you’ve mentioned before?

Yuichi Yukinoura: I can see it clearly in my mind, but iron is a delicate material… I hope it will be ready in time for the February exhibition.

Hanada: Well, you do work quickly. You produce a large number of pieces as well.

Yuichi Yukinoura: I’m often praised for my planning. I think I’m good at working backward from the final goal and allocating each step of the process efficiently.

Hanada:　 I see. The combination of your powerful energy and your researcher’s mindset is very compelling. Let’s continue to explore new ideas together.

Yuichi Yukinoura: I look forward to continuing our work together (laughs). Requests from the shop are always welcome. Let’s keep creating beautiful, functional tableware together. After all, what matters most is that our customers are delighted.

Hanada:　 We won’t hold back—we’ll keep the requests coming!

Yuichi Yukinoura: Thank you. I look forward to February as well.

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