Aki Moriuchi Japan, b. 1947
Aki Moriuchi (born 1947) is an acclaimed Japanese-British studio potter, ceramicist, and painter who has lived and worked in the United Kingdom since 1971. A Fellow of the Craft Potters Association of Britain, she draws heavily on organic, raw textures and the concept of weathering.
Moriuchi is best known in the art world for her highly distinctive studio pottery, which she produced at her studios in North London (Edgware and Barnet) and St Ives, Cornwall.
Moving away from standard tableware, she focused heavily on textural, sculptural vessels like bowls, lidded pots, and leaning vases.
Her trademark look relies on heavily cratered, organic-looking volcanic, lava, and lichen glazes applied to stoneware or porcelain. She frequently sandblasted her pieces to give them an instantly weathered, ancient appearance.
In 2007, Moriuchi stopped producing ceramics. After relocating to Palmers Green, London, in 2008, she transitioned from clay, focusing on canvas, paper, sketchbooks, and paint.
Moriuchi's pieces are highly collectable and regularly appear in specialized design auctions. They are also held in prestigious public institutions, such as the V&A in London and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
COLLECTIONS
The V&A, London.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.