Shigematsu Ayumi 重松あゆみ b. 1958
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Born in 1958, Shigematsu Ayumi is an internationally celebrated ceramic artist who is part of a pioneering generation of post-war Japanese women artists. After studying at Kyoto University of Arts under Sodeisha pioneer Suzuki Osamu 鈴木 治 (1926-2001), she eventually became one of the first few women professors of ceramics at her alma mater. Suzuki’s sculptural, organic and abstract influence is evident, yet Shigematsu’s approach is tactile and intuitive, allowing the natural weight and pull of wet clay to shape her creations. Her work embraces formal tension by juxtaposing a delicate pastel palette with bold, abstract forms, diverging from traditional aesthetics in Japanese pottery that express the aesthetic principle of wabi, which embraces imperfection and restraint. Rather than adhering to the notion that clay should only express its own raw qualities, she challenges this concept through a simple principle: that clay does not have to look like clay.
Her works take formal inspiration from Japan’s Jomon heritage, reinterpreting elements of Suien (smoke) and Kaen (flame) ceramic wares. Rounded loops, lugs, and handles, along with the organic, curved forms of these archaeological ceramics, treasured in museums across Japan, emerge in large-scale sculptures that fold over one another. At the same time, by referencing the sensuous body, she reimagines the body as the vehicle through which histories are embodied. In an interview with the artist, she states:
“In my work, I explore abstract forms that can be achieved solely through the medium of string-making ceramic modeling. This involves utilizing the foundational elements of the bracelet pattern. The continuous inner and outer structure evokes an image of a “Calvin Klein perfume bottle,” with holes as the basic elements. On the other hand, the tubular structure also serves as a metaphor for progress, growth while also evoking associations with the human body. The holes at the openings also give the impression of sensory organs, akin to those of swallowing, speaking, and hearing, mirroring the role of the human mouth and ears as conduits between the external and internal realms.”