Meeting Yukico Yamada
- Where do you get your inspiration from?
I receive inspiration from the small elements that construct my daily life, such as sound, light, breeze, humidity, smell and texture. Most of the time, my source of inspiration has no concrete form; but if I am attentive to the moment in front of me, I realize it is full of wondrous things, and that gives me ideas for the form and texture of my works.
- How does being based in Kyoto impact your creativity and your productions?
Currently, my atelier is based in an old neighborhood of Kyoto, which preserves the simple wooden houses of traditional Japanese architecture. Kyoto is surrounded by mountains and forests, so you always feel close to nature as I work in this old Japanese house, I can always feel the outside world trickling in through the wooden walls and paper paravans. The sunlight and the rain are always my companions, even under the roof of my atelier.
- How about your techniques and the materials you work with?
Most of the materials for ceramic art are created by nature, and they have individuality and the possibilities are endless. Also, ceramic art is finally completed using fire. The works change the substance itself in the kiln by heat.
I feel it interesting that it is not just my own hands and intentions that complete the work. The works from the kiln are always fresh and I take a closer look as if I were observing plants and insects.
Most of the works are made by hand building.
There are many great techniques, but I love the hand-building work itself, so I chose it.
- Do you do preparatory drawings?
I write sentences along with sketches. Sketches are very rough and sentences are like words and poems.
- Can you tell us a bit more about the pieces you made for Volume Ceramics?
“The Sound of popping tree nuts”:
These shapes were made by image of “the sounds of nuts popping”. It is a moment in the cycle of life, a sound filled with love and hope. These pieces don’t exist exactly same. I hope you like one, like the nuts you pick up in the woods.
“The Sound of Rain Drops“ :
I made the shape from the sound of rain. There are many words for rain in Japan. The form of the works is inspired by the sound of heavy rain, soft rain, foggy rain, and the rain at that time dripping something or hitting the roof or windows.
- Sounds sound important in your work. Do you listen to music while working?
I like music, but I don't listen to it during production. When I concentrate, I end up hearing nothing.
- Where do you see your practice headed in the future?
I want to make something that isn't special but that makes my heart tremble so that nature can show us. That's all.