Yuki Nara
Yuki Nara was born in 1989 in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture, into the Ohi family, a long line of renowned ceramists whose history dates back to the Edo period (1603–1868). Nara's grandfather, Ohi Chozaemon X, was named a 'living national treasure of Japan,' the highest honour. Through 11 generations, the Ohi family has preserved this heritage, which is celebrated for its rugged beauty and 350-year legacy.
Nara first received a degree in architecture from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2013. In 2016, he graduated with high distinction from the Tajimi City Institute of Ceramic Design and in 2017, he graduated with top honours from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.
Due to their innovative nature, Yuki Nara's ceramic works quickly gained attention at exhibitions both in Japan and abroad. Today, his works are part of renowned collections, including the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa and the Ueshima Museum Collection.
Yuki Nara’s philosophy is to create pieces that are unfamiliar and never seen before. He used architectural design methods such as 3D CAD alongside traditional techniques of the Ohi ware. His unique approach to combining these two fields aims to create a dialogue that can drive society and culture forward and introduce new perspectives and values to the art world.
Central to his work are the notions of "boundaries" and "spaces," where ceramics and architecture, digital and analogue, interior and exterior, chaos and order converge. He created light, transparent ceramics that absorb and reflect their surroundings and serve as warm boundaries, connecting interior and exterior spaces. This innovative approach, which he calls “hybridizing,” redefines the world of ceramics, blending tradition and modernity through experimentation close to scientific research. Yuki’s creations reflect his identity: Is a "boundary" something that divides and isolates, or is it a place where two different worlds meet, exchange, and merge? Yuki Nara conveys this duality as both an architect using the latest technologies and a potter, born into a family with over 350 years of ceramic tradition.
The "Bone Flower" series, named after a remark by Nara’s grandfather, Ohi Toyasai, combines elegant contours with an innovative approach to ceramics. Drawing inspiration from ancient Japanese pottery, the series includes two distinct designs. The first, "Bone Flower Jomon", with its sharp, angular forms, echoes the dynamic vitality of Jomon pottery and reflects the energy of the Jomon period, when hunting and gathering formed the foundations of daily life. The second, "Bone Flower Yayoi", features gentle curves inspired by the elegant simplicity of Yayoi pottery, evoking a harmonious spirit and a reverence for nature that defined Japan's ancient prayers and beliefs during the Yayoi period.
Each piece consists of thin plates, cut using the traditional tatara technique, with bone-like white ceramic surfaces, and assembled into airy frameworks. The series reimagines the vessel by challenging the conventional expectations.
Selected works
