SHINJI MATSUO | Words from the Artist
Ahead of his upcoming Solo Show with Flow
"Born in 1985. I have been a self-taught painter since childhood. My deep interest in outsider art led me to work as a support worker for several years, a period during which I also acquired woodworking skills.
My transition to ceramics began while working as an antique dealer. Surrounded by Japanese pottery from various eras, I found myself increasingly fascinated by their history and form. Ultimately, I was moved by the primal beauty of ancient earthenware, which inspired me to begin creating my own pieces."
Q: Your work begins with simple, ancient forms. What draws you to these origins?
A: I find a dual charm in ancient artifacts; they feel both primitive and remarkably modern. What fascinates me is the sense of a shared, universal sensibility that seems to exist among indigenous peoples across the globe.
Q: You speak about materials revealing their own memory. How do you listen to, or respond to what a material is “telling” you?
A: By engaging with the material—touching it and altering its form—I connect with my own memories. Ultimately, I reach a point where the memories of the material and my own memories seem to merge and meet.
Q: How does your approach shift when working across different materials - ceramics, wood, and drawing?
A: In my mind, drawing is more right-brained (intuitive), woodworking is more left-brained (logical), and ceramics sits somewhere in the middle.
Q: Can you describe your studio process and rhythm?
A: I create freely, moving between mediums: I turn to pottery when drawing becomes difficult, and shift to woodwork when I need a change of pace from ceramics.
In my ceramic work, I use the hand-building (coil construction) technique to create jars. I apply that exact same sensibility and procedure to my woodwork. I use 12mm plywood as the primary material. I cut the wood into donut-shaped rings, which I then stack one by one to build up the form of the vessel.
When firing my ceramics, I use a primitive method called “pit firing” (or “open firing”), similar to the techniques used in ancient times and across Africa.
Q: What are your favourite tools to use in the studio?
A: I have a Kamidana (a traditional Japanese altar) in my studio. It holds a glass of water and a single-flower vase. My daily rhythm begins by refreshing both the water and the plant. I maintain this routine to ground my daily creative flow.
Q: Does place influence your work?
A: Yes, I believe it does. Last year, I moved to a place surrounded by nature, and the things I see every day have naturally begun to manifest in my work. Lately, I spend time each day observing the small objects I find fallen in my garden.
