Ceramics Was the Hardest to Understand

Hanada: How did you find your way into the world of ceramics?

Yuki Matsumoto : I initially went to art university because I was interested in crafts, but at the time, I was drawn to furniture and wanted to do woodwork. However, right after entering college, we got to try a bit of everything—ceramics, metalwork, and woodwork. That was when ceramics, something I hadn’t considered at all before, suddenly clicked. I just found it incredibly fascinating.

Hanada: What made it so fascinating?

Yuki Matsumoto : How should I put it… ceramics was the thing I understood the least. With clay, the material constantly changes physically with every step of the process, right? Conceptually, I understood it, but actually doing it left me completely baffled (laughs). I thought clay would feel familiar because of playing in the mud as a kid, but once I tried it, it was an absolute unknown. That initial shock was huge, and that is how my journey with ceramics began.

Hanada: What kind of pieces were you making during your university years?

Yuki Matsumoto : Mostly sculptures. I made things without any specific practical use, and flower vases were about the only functional items I created. After graduating, I wanted to see how studios operated outside of Japan, so I spent six months at a residency in Jingdezhen, China. Even there, I was still mainly focusing on flower vases and sculptural pieces.

Creative Work in Jingdezhen

Hanada: Were you purely focusing on your own creative work during the residency?

Yuki Matsumoto : I worked half the time as a staff member, and then used my free time for my own projects. I was surrounded by people at various stages—some were students preparing to become artists, while others were established professionals who were already selling their work. I lived and worked alongside all kinds of people from all over the world.

Hanada: That sounds incredibly stimulating. The scale of the work in Jingdezhen must have been immense as well.

Yuki Matsumoto : Oh, it was unbelievable. The number of people, the volume of material, the sheer scale of the objects—everything. Some jars were five meters tall. The work was completely divided, with dedicated professionals handling either the wheel or the painting, and there were so many of them. It went far beyond being stimulating; it actually made me want to stop making things for a while. I started thinking, “Does the world really need me to make anything?”

Hanada: It sounds like you were completely overwhelmed.

Yuki Matsumoto : Yes. But when I talked to peers of my generation in broken English, I realized everyone was worrying about the same things, like how they were going to make a living. Realizing that we were all in the same boat is one of the most memorable moments from that incredibly valuable experience.

Hanada: Sharing experiences and pushing each other forward with peers from around the world who share the same vision is wonderful. What was it that eventually turned your focus toward tableware?

Tableware Captures the Essence of the Maker

Yuki Matsumoto : Moving here to Fujino was a turning point. I moved because I felt it would be a great environment for both living and creating, and I found a lot of talented artists actively making great tableware in this area.

Hanada: There are indeed many creators working here, like Hitoshi Fujizaki in woodwork, and Ryutaro Yamada and Atsunobu Koizumi in ceramics.

Yuki Matsumoto : Interacting with them made me realize how incredible tableware is, because it brings all creative elements together.

Hanada: All creative elements?

Yuki Matsumoto : Well, the basic shapes of tableware are generally predefined—a plate is a plate, a bowl is a bowl. Yet, what comes out of each artist’s hands is entirely different. The maker’s philosophy, aesthetic sense, and even their physicality are all reflected in the work. Unlike purely sculptural work where you have absolute freedom, having a certain degree of functional constraint actually highlights the unique character of the maker. That is what sparked my interest in making tableware, and that brings me to where I am today.

Hanada: Feeling that personal touch is also a huge part of the appeal for the user. Your pieces used to have a rather structured, sharp impression from slab building. But recently…

Yuki Matsumoto : I’ve been making more rounded shapes and painting designs on them. I wonder what happened to me (laughs). I still do some slab building, but right now, I mainly work on the wheel.

Hanada: (Laughs) I am very curious about the story behind this shift.

The Act of Painting

Yuki Matsumoto : I’ve always considered myself the type of person who thinks things through before creating. But since I started making tableware, I’ve found myself drawn to more generous, intuitive qualities. For example, working on the wheel feels that way to me. With slab building, you can plan everything out in your head and execute it precisely. On the wheel, however, quite apart from your own thoughts or intentions, the clay just spins and expands on its own (laughs). Of course I control it, but never completely.

Hanada: So elements beyond your own intent come into play.

Yuki Matsumoto : Exactly. I wanted to incorporate those elements that bypass premeditated thought, so I try to test out whatever ideas pop into my head without overthinking them. Painting on my pieces was one of those experiments.

Hanada: Had you done much painting before?

Yuki Matsumoto : No, just basic sketching. That is probably why I was able to approach it with a relatively light heart. Once I actually started, it was incredibly fun. I was amazed by what was coming out of me. Trying out different techniques like sgraffito, sometsuke (underglaze blue), and icchin (slip trailing) all started from a simple “that looks interesting, let’s try it” mindset. Because I intentionally start without fixing any rules, the process can often be quite inefficient.

Hanada: Your motifs are very unique too—people with afros, someone riding a scooter, centaurs… Where do you get these ideas?

Yuki Matsumoto : I think they come from things around me, or whatever catches my sense of humor at the time. I am also influenced by folk art. I’ve always loved traditional Japanese narrative scrolls, Korean folk paintings, Russian lubok prints, and French animal fables. Even when folk art deals with themes rooted in faith or deep prayers, there is often a humorous, playful quality to it. It’s still delightful to look at today, and it really lifts your spirits. I want to make things like that.

Hanada: Tableware that brings a smile to your face every time you use it is wonderful. You always seem to be tackling something new. What would you like to challenge yourself with next?

Balancing Tradition and Intuition

Yuki Matsumoto : Let’s see… the patterns on tableware are highly calculated, and they have become incredibly refined over a long history. Those traditional, structured elements are closely tied to how user-friendly a piece is. While keeping those aspects in mind, I also want to cherish the unique atmosphere that comes from creating intuitively. I hope to gradually strike a beautiful balance between the two. Also, I am currently working with porcelain for the first time, hoping to showcase it at our upcoming three-person exhibition. But the feel of making it is completely different from regular clay, and nothing is going well, so it might turn out to be a total disaster once fired (laughs). Still, I have plenty of ideas I want to try regarding colors and new items.

Hanada: So you might change direction completely based on another new idea.

Yuki Matsumoto : I am always looking to break away from what I’ve done before (laughs).

Hanada: We are really looking forward to the exhibition. Thank you very much.

≪ END ≫