Amin Abbas
Mari Adachi, a Japanese Minoyki (Mino Ware pottery) ceramic artist based in Tajimi, Gifu Japan, blends classic and innovative design into her work advocating traditional transfer techniques.
Using Japan’s cultural background and symbolic elements, she questions “What is prejudice?” and explores works that stimulate various inherent consciousness and norms.
Exclusively to Arab News Japan, Elena shared her inspiration for art: “When I was a high school student, I wanted to get in university of art.”
About the establishment of her career in art, Adachi said: “I started working professionally in 2020 when I was living in London, I thought it not nowadays culture. For example, shops in London show Japanese traditional things or Japanese animation. I thought it’s not modern Japanese style. I’m spreading Japanese modern style with my art.”
“The first work that I worked on when I was an art of university student, I made parts of ceramics eventually I won the award of university”.
“Skulls are my representative motif, contrasting with the mainstream of pottery, which is linked to daily life crafts. The art pieces work transcends the boundary between crafts and art, using ceramic transfer techniques and pottery glazes. They are not just about sensing the duality of my consciousness but also about realizing every moment of ‘now,’ not just perceiving death negatively”.
“Bottles and vessels are in the act of coloring vessels for life, the skull, symbolizing the opposite, death, is used. However, by perceiving it as a motif of duality, it becomes a pop symbol that accompanies daily life,” she added.
About the challenges that she faced during her career, Adachi said:” Actually the printing technique I’m using is one that can only be done in a factory. This is a traditional Japanese transfer technique”.
About the most inspirational thing from Japanese culture that she has adapted into her daily life, Adachi said:” Zen & Japanese antiques”.
Adachi was one of the Japanese artists who were invited at World Art Dubai 2024 event and she visited the Middle East region few times in the past. She said:” I’ve been Middle East region few times before, but I thought Dubai people are different. They always tried to listen carefully to my conversation”.
Adachi is planning to collaborate with a big company in Japan. And would be in London restaurant too. She is also planning to go to China, Taiwan, USA & UK in this year for her exhibitions.
About her recommendations for those who want learn about art, Adachi said:” learn from Japanese calligraphy to get inspired”.