OBJECTS OF RENEWAL AT MYKITA FUKUOKA
MYKITA welcomes pop-up by Kagoshima-based plant studio Araheam and ceramic studio ONE KILN at their Fukuoka Store, bringing together objects shaped by craftsmanship, restoration and a deep respect for material.
At the heart of the pop-up is REPRODUCTION, a project by ONE KILN that transforms ceramic vessels damaged during production into one-of-a-kind planters. By carefully hand-drilling each piece to create a drainage hole, vessels once considered incomplete are given a new function, while preserving the character acquired through the making process. Combined with Araheam's carefully selected plants, each planter becomes an individual composition that embraces the beauty of irregularity and the enduring value of handcrafted work.
MYKITA JOURNAL sat down with Araheam and ONE KILN to talk about their joint appreciation for thoughtful design, honest materials and objects created to be lived with over time.
IN CONVERSATION WITH MAEHARA FROM ARAHEAM
This exhibition brings together ceramics, plants and eyewear within the same space. What connected you to this collaboration, and what do you think these different disciplines share?
Yusuke Kido of One Kiln was the very first artist we met in Kagoshima when we had just begun our own practice. Since those early days, we have asked him to create planters for us. The REPRODUCTION series presented in this exhibition is an attempt to give a new role to vessels that were not used during the pottery-making process. Yusuke Kido once said, "Continue to engage with things that are unfinished. Perhaps vessels, plants, and even relationships between people are all the same. Plants grow and change over time, and we continue to care for them by responding to those changes along the way.” It was this way of engaging with plants, together with the values the three of us share toward making things, that resonated with one another and led to this collaboration.
Many of your works become more meaningful over time rather than seeking perfection from the outset. What role do time, change and use play in your work?
Plants grow over time, and their appearance and presence gradually change. They put down roots, become established, unfold beautiful new shoots, and produce fresh green leaves and vibrant flowers. This transformation through growth — something that can only be witnessed over time — is, I believe, the greatest charm of plants. We think it is important to understand each plant's own sense of time, its character, and the environment it needs, and to place it in a vessel and setting where it truly belongs so that it can continue to be enjoyed in the years ahead.
Craft often begins with paying close attention – to materials, to process, to small details. What have your materials taught you over the years?
We often think about how a planter can positively influence the growth of a plant. Plants can only express themselves through their growth, so we spend a great deal of time observing, testing, and cultivating them before selecting materials and creating or choosing the appropriate vessels. When it comes to planters, we place particular importance on breathability and drainage. Traditional unglazed clay pots that have long been used in Japan, terracotta pots, and cylinder pots made from Mexican clay are all highly rational products, and they remain invaluable to us today.
Kagoshima has a remarkable community of makers working across different disciplines. How has the place where you live and work shaped your creative practice?
Kagoshima is located at the southern tip of Japan's main islands, and Kanoya is one of its most remote regional cities. Although it is geographically somewhat inconvenient, it is blessed with abundant nature and rich resources, whether in materials, raw ingredients, or food. The annual Ash Design Craft Fair, which is still held today, was where we first met Mr. Kido. Being surrounded by creators of a similar generation is incredibly inspiring, and it has had a significant influence on our own work. Going forward, we hope to continue creating unique work and expressions while remaining deeply rooted in our local community.
Your approach to plants feels carefully composed. What draws you to a particular plant, and how do you think about creating a relationship between the plant, its vessel and the space around it?
I do not have a fixed set of criteria when selecting plants. I never choose them based on rarity or trends. Whether a plant is common or rare, I believe what matters most is understanding its unique character, its beauty, and above all, its nature. When placing a plant, I consider the environment of the space and what kind of relationship will emerge by introducing that plant into it. The vessel serves as a home that allows the plant to live in its new environment, while, for the space itself, it becomes an element that enriches its overall atmosphere. By bringing plants into a space, I hope it becomes a better place – one where the plants gradually settle in and naturally become part of their surroundings over time.
You have been caring for the plants at MYKITA Fukuoka since the store opened. How has that ongoing relationship influenced the way you think about the space?
First of all, it is thanks to the staff at MYKITA Fukuoka, who have sincerely cared for the plants ever since they were first introduced, that they remain in such good condition today. At the beginning, I was honestly worried about whether they could be properly cared for. This experience has reminded me once again that plants cannot thrive without the thoughtfulness and affection of the people who care for them. I hope we can continue to share this process together, because what we have today is something that could only be achieved through time and continued care.
Plants are constantly changing – they grow, age and respond to their surroundings. Is that sense of development or growth something you seek out in your work?
These two ideas—growth and change—are the most important elements of my work. Plants grow over time, and once you welcome one into your life, you take on the responsibility of caring for it through daily watering, fertilising, dealing with pests and diseases, and repotting when necessary. At the same time, that growth and change are the greatest charm of plants and one of the greatest joys of living with them. What I value most is helping people discover the joy of slowing down and enjoying each plant's own timeline, patiently and without rushing.
IN CONVERSATION WITH YUSUKE KIDO FROM ONE KILN
This exhibition brings together ceramics, plants and eyewear within the same space. What connected you to this collaboration, and what do you think these different disciplines share?
Although each has a different role, they all exist to make everyday life a little more comfortable. They also share the way they are carefully created through a sincere engagement with their materials and nurtured over time. Even though our fields are different, I feel that the attitude we bring to making things is very similar.
Many of your works become more meaningful over time rather than seeking perfection from the outset. What role do time, change and use play in your work?
I believe a piece does not end the moment it is completed. Rather, it comes closer to completion through being used. I want to create things whose value is not diminished by time, but deepened by it.
Craft often begins with paying close attention – to materials, to process, to small details. What have your materials taught you over the years?
What I have learned is that materials never behave exactly as we want them to. Clay, glaze, and fire are not things that can ever be completely controlled by people. That is why I believe it is important for us to listen to what the materials have to tell us. Our role is not simply to make something, but to create the conditions that allow the materials to reveal the potential they already hold. Perhaps what ceramics has taught me is the feeling of drawing out the beauty that already exists within the material, as much as possible.
Kagoshima has a remarkable community of makers working across different disciplines. How has the place where you live and work shaped your creative practice?
Kagoshima is home to many fellow craftspeople who work with a wide variety of materials. Each person's challenges inspire the others, and there is an environment where collaboration naturally emerges by making the most of the unique qualities of each material. Many different projects have grown from that creative foundation, and I believe this exhibition is one of them.
The REPRODUCTION project transforms damaged vessels into something entirely new. How did you begin to see these pieces not as failures, but as possibilities for another story?
I have always felt uncomfortable with the idea of simply throwing things away. I believe craft begins with asking ourselves, "Is there another way this can be given life?".
Using volcanic ash from Sakurajima in our glazes, or digging clay from the mountains ourselves, comes from the same way of thinking. I want to discover the value of the materials that already exist before us and make the fullest possible use of them. That way of thinking led to the REPRODUCTION project. In ceramics, cracks and distortions are generally regarded as failures. But within those cracks and distortions, there is a kind of beauty that perhaps only the maker can see. Some pieces are given new life as vessels through kintsugi. Those that still cannot be fully brought back are drilled with holes and given a new role as plant pots. I don't believe value is fixed at the moment something is made. I believe it continues to be renewed through time and through its relationship with people. To me, REPRODUCTION is not a project about repairing broken things. It is a project about beginning new stories.
Would you say your work is deeply rooted in Kagoshima – from local clay to glazes made with volcanic ash from Sakurajima. How does the landscape shape your ceramics?
We use volcanic ash from Sakurajima in our glazes, and clay that we dig ourselves. It is not simply because these materials come from Kagoshima. We use them because we believe in the potential of the materials that exist in this place. To me, craft is about discovering the value of the materials close at hand and drawing out their fullest potential. I would be happy if, through our work, people could sense the beauty and possibilities hidden within the materials of Kagoshima.
Your ceramics combine centuries-old techniques with a distinctly contemporary expression. How do you approach the balance between tradition and innovation?
Traditional techniques have been passed down for generations for a reason. I believe the role of today's makers is to understand those reasons and translate them into forms that speak to contemporary life and values. I want to continue renewing the way we express those ideas while preserving their essence.
At MYKITA, we are drawn to objects that reveal something of the hands and processes behind them. What do you hope people discover when they look closely at your ceramics?
I would be happy if people could pause for a moment and imagine the story behind what they are looking at. Even an everyday vessel, something we normally use without giving it much thought, can reveal a completely different view when we simply change the way we look at it. The world itself may not change, but the way we see it can. If our work can offer even a small opportunity for that shift in perspective, I would be very happy.
The Araheam × ONE KILN exhibition opens at MYKITA Fukuoka on Saturday, 1 August and will continue until Sunday, 16 August.
〒810-0001 福岡県福岡市中央区天神1-11-1 ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. 2F
2F ONE FUKUOKA BLDG., 1-11-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku
810-0001 Fukuoka, Japan
Tel: +81 (0)92-406-1600
OPENING HOURS
平日 11:00 - 20:00
土日祝 10:00 - 20:00
*休業日: 元旦、2月の第4火曜日と水曜日、8月の第4火曜日
Weekdays 11:00 - 20:00
Weekends & Public Holidays 10:00 - 20:00