I Read the Wind, Studio PotaPota

I Read the Wind showcases the ceramic explorations of Studio Potapota, a collaborative project between Japanese artists Hidekazu a-wa Sogabe and Kaori Miyachi Sogabe. Presented here are a selection of their ‘cobanashi’ series of ceramic ‘objects as poems’, in which they materialise artworks from themes with accompanying poetic texts.

Driven by the ceramic process, they experienced an awakening when an accidental chemical reaction between two glazes appeared to represent the sky. This encouraged them to create ceramic objects based on themes, in an attempt to represent both natural and metaphysical elements in ceramic form. When combined, these objects inspire living poems. Themes such as ‘sky’, ‘ocean’ and ‘morning haze’ use nature as a foundation, creating tangible objects utilising form, shape, colour, and function. Through consistent development, however, their practice evolved beyond aesthetics.

Consequently they found that memories, emotions and thoughts co-existed within the objects. By challenging the expression of their inner thoughts and feelings, these themes expanded. The ‘drawing series’, for example, is influenced by the space between the conscious and unconscious. By drawing and mark-making in this state, they found a way to transfer their findings into clay. Other themes such as ‘Magnetic Vase’, and ‘Excavation of Perspective’ utilise process, imagination and abstraction to give each object a story, its history and essence embedded within.

“We continuously created prose and poems every day, which became part of our daily routine.” Hide & Kaori, Studio Potapota

In utilising the objects as tableware within their home, poems and stories intertwine and become self-realising, as multiple combinations and new ‘poems’ appear spontaneously. Within this continuous practice, the meanings held in objects of the same or contrasting series change with use in the domestic realm. The concept of impermanence traverses each individual object and collective poem, their essence and true nature manifesting somewhere between the tangible and intangible.

About Studio PotaPota

The name PotaPota derives from a depiction of sounds, or onomatopoeia. When spoken quickly, in a Japanese accent, the sound ‘potter’ becomes ‘pottaa’. By repeating the words very fast (PottaaPottaa), the phonetic sounds replicate the sound of water dripping. This play on words also alludes to the two potters, Hide & Kaori. The couple live and work together on various artistic projects.

Kaori’s creative practice is motivated by self-study. While originally studying law at university, her inspirations are taken from subjects such as psychology, mythology, philosophy, poetry and cultural and biological anthropology. Hide finds his inspiration through the everyday. Sounds, visuals, writing and cooking are all part of his practice. Using these to inform his work, outcomes express themselves in many different forms, including, but not limited to: soundscapes, drawing, ceramics, paintings, poetry, stories and photographs.