Born in 1987, Kaori Kurihara graduated in ceramic art from Kyoto Seika University, Japan (2010), and in jewelry design from AFEDAP in Paris (2014). In 2016, she opened her studio in Paris.
Kaori creates her own nature through ceramics.
She works with clay without using geometric tracing tools.
She received the 2015 Young Artistic Creation Award.
“Form and order, as in the Golden Ratio, appeal to me and attract me visually. This beauty inspires a sense of well-being, a harmony with nature, and it is this feeling that I wish to represent and share.” In her poetic ceramic series, Kaori Kurihara creates sculptures that are both realistic and inspired by her magical imagination. Initially inspired by the durian, she explores the form of this Asian plant in her sculptures, “creating form by introducing a natural order.” Her broad scope of knowledge allows her to subtly blend techniques, such as the glazing of her highly detailed ceramic sculptures.
Snow sun, 2024
His Journey
“The origin of my creativity lies in the visual pleasure derived from contemplating the order of the natural world. For 17 years, I’ve been working on this series, creating a beautiful array of plant worlds. The turning point was the discovery of the durian, a fruit whose shape attracted me, without me understanding why. I continued to observe nature and seek out patterns that fascinated me with their visual appearance.
After spending about 10 years exploring, while creating works based on my sensory experiences, I finally realized that I was drawn to the sequence of worlds that exists in nature, like the golden ratio. This knowledge, based on experience and not on academic knowledge discovered in books, allowed my creativity to express itself freely. After understanding what fascinated me, I was able to see in botany books that my sensory knowledge had not been mistaken, and that my attraction to the golden ratio in the plant kingdom came from its living and vital character.”
The contours of spring, 2025
His Journey
“Since this realization, the driving force behind the creation of my sculptures has been to sense how plants grow and arrange themselves, as if I were a plant myself. So, during the creation process, I imagine myself developing as a plant. The paradox is that plants don’t wonder what kind of flowers will bloom in the future; nature dictates the outcome. Therefore, since I want my plants to grow naturally, I don’t make preparatory sketches; I let them grow freely, without knowing the shape or color of my sculpture before the process progresses. I want to express the brilliance of living beings, because I am alive.”
How do you proceed?
“For several years, I have been drawn to nature and the geometric shapes that compose it. The plant world, whether flowers or fruits, inspires me, and I try to reproduce its wonders while maintaining a certain harmony and uniformity.
I practice coil pottery. This technique allows me to freely work with a main shape on which I place a multitude of small decorative elements in pastillage. Once this decoration is complete, I let the piece dry for about three months, then I color and glaze it.”
How do you achieve such harmony in the final form?
“Once the biscuit is colored, I apply the glaze with great patience and precision. I seek a rhythm, a visual poetry, and nuances that vary depending on the viewer’s angle.
How many kiln firings does each piece require?
On average, two. One before the glaze and the other after. On some pieces, however, I add small gildings, which requires a third firing.”
Percussion flower, 2024
How many pieces do you design per year?
“About ten because, even if I make several at the same time, each ceramic requires around two months of work, plus a long drying period.”
The thistle pose, 2025
How would you define your approach to clay?
“The definition changes throughout the creative process. During creation, I feel in harmony with the work, I sense it. Once finished, my works are independent. They exist thanks to our shared sensation. I know them well, and they know me well. I feel as if a mass of my senses are located elsewhere than in my own body.”
Spring Clock, 2023
When and how did you actually get started?
“I was undecided between ceramics and jewelry. In 2015, I received the Young Artistic Crafts Award for my ceramic work. Thanks to the exhibitions organized as part of this award, I received numerous commissions over the course of a year. I then decided to seriously pursue this path.”
What makes a well-made object for you?
“I want the finished work to be autonomous, which is why I create it between the conscious and the unconscious, or rather, I make sure that the shapes and colors respond to the wishes of the work itself. If I look at the final work and don’t remember having made it myself, I feel I have accomplished my mission in the most ideal way.”
How many kiln firings are required for each piece?
“On average, two. One before glazing and the other after. On some pieces, however, I add a little gilding, which requires a third firing.”
Beyond Arabica, 2022
How many pieces do you design per year?
“About ten because, even if I make several at the same time, each ceramic requires around two months of work, plus a long drying period.
I’m in my studio, taking my time to make sure I achieve the “living sensation.” I speak with the clay, I listen to the clay. That’s what ceramics are all about.
Breathe deeply, then go deeper and deeper. Toward somewhere warm.”
If there are two of you, 2022
“Having time is not proportional to finding good ideas. Creating an atmosphere in daily life conducive to the emergence of good ideas.
That in itself takes a lot of time. Because neither thought nor spirit are constant. I put mimosas in the studio and the kitchen. The light came back on.”
“The plants are always in the same place, but they always show different faces as they surrender to the wind and light. There are no language barriers, and they are always entertaining. That’s what I love about them.”
Camellia dancing in the morning, 2024
