Ritsuko Imai　今井律湖

You can feel somewhat foreign touch and warmth of antique items in Imai’s artwork. A human-shaped pot having a unique “face” with a different hairstyle, facial expression, skin color, holds a mysterious presence, unable to define which country or which generation it’s from. The original model of the human-shaped pot was based on her graduation project doll when she was studying abroad in England. Her artwork was created with the concept of the difference of race, irresistible problems, and inconsolable grief that she felt in a foreign land. If you take a look at the pots, they seem to be smiling yet their eyes looking far ahead look lonely. She had been wanting to go foreign places and communicate with people around the world hence decided to go study abroad when she was in middle school. After entering college, she decided to go to England where she thought the cultural aspect best suits her. At that time, she never dreamed of being a pottery artist. Yet, all that she experienced in England at that time make up bits and pieces of her creativity now.

Majoring English in college, she studied the basics of arts such as pottery and camera. Not having even the slightest idea of being a pottery artist, she joined a company after graduating from college. However, she felt cramped and sent an application to a ceramic school in Mashiko hoping to get out. She learned the basics of pottery and started her career as a pottery artist after graduating. Started exhibiting at ware markets and craft fairs in 2011, and with the words spreading around, she became a favorite artist opening her own exhibition in 2014. She values casting what comes from her inner side and what naturally comes within, not copying someone else’s work or trend. In particular, she is often attracted to things that are unidentifiable for purpose and made by unknown people, like something excavated from ancient ruins. She says that she wants to turn inspirations she gets from uncontrived things into a piece of art through an artist Ritsuko Imai’s filter.

There is something extraordinary about Imai’s affection towards “living” things. Her dear cat Sabuji which you often see on her blog and Instagram is always with her. You can almost say that she is a part of her, a beloved partner. Loving almost all animals, Imai picks animals as her theme. Recently, her affection is not only towards animals but plants as well. Looking at palm size succulent plants lined up at her home, she says that the unique shape and the thick texture are just so adorable. It started off with succulent plants, and now bonsai, orchids and expanding still. She receives opulent ideas from plants unique color, shape, and smell and puts them into her creation. You can feel her deep love towards living things in her artwork. There are breath and warmth of a living thing in the work of Imai, human-shaped pots and wares. It’s probably that her kindness and generosity is reflected in her artwork.