Art

#ceramics #Kaori Kurihara #plants #sculpture

Otherworldly Plants Sprout Colorful Stems and Blooms in Kaori Kurihara’s Incredibly Detailed Ceramics

December 26, 2023

Kate Mothes

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic.

“Clown verdoyant” (2023). All images © Kaori Kurihara, shared with permission

Elegant petals, scalloped fans, and seed-like textures coat the Kaori Kurihara’s whimsical ceramic sculptures (previously). She incorporates delicate botanical details with eccentric forms, melding realism with fiction. “I try to associate imaginary plants with a more realistic feeling, so I observe more consciously the environment in which they grow,” Kurihara tells Colossal. She also grows different types of plants from seed in order to observe and record details as they grow. “The aim is to create something that looks more alive and closer to life,” she adds.

Kurihara’s work is featured in the forthcoming book Ceramic Artists on Creative Processes, scheduled for release in February. Pre-order your copy on Bookshop, and explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

 

A detail of the base of a ceramic sculpture with details that resemble cut Brussels sprouts, tiny cabbages, or flowers.

Detail of “Clown verdoyant”

An display of five ceramic sculptures inspired by plants and flowers.

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic.

“Collectionneur de silence” (2023)

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic with a large yellow flower on top.

“En réponse au claire de lune” (2023)

Detail of a yellow ceramic flower.

Detail of “En réponse au claire de lune”

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic.

“Hug Me Quick” (2023)

Two images side-by-side, each showing details of ceramic sculptures inspired by flowers and plants.

Left: Detail of “Collectionneur de silence.” Right: Detail of “Hug Me Quick”

An abstract sculpture of an imaginary plant made from ceramic.

“Danseuse de boîte à musique” (2023)

#ceramics #Kaori Kurihara #plants #sculpture

 

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