The Ukiyo graduate year collection was inspired by my ventures to Japan. I've seen and done a lot of exciting things in the land of the rising sun (if you're interested in any of these stories and Japan travel tips then check out the Japan blog section here) and this was the core of my project. I looked into Japanese culture and philosophies and experienced this myself through tea ceremony, kintsugi, shibori (indigo fabric dying), pottery and going on my own Goshuin pilgrimage. (these are also further explained in my Japan blog). These were all beautiful experiences both visually, physically and mentally and really helped me gain a deeper understanding behind the mindfulness the Japanese put into everything they do. Not just within the creative and performing sector such as tea ceremony or calligraphy for example, but within simple things such as forest bathing (walking through forests/nature and taking in the sights, sounds and smells) to simply taking a bath. The Japanese believe it's important for our body, mind and spirit to take time to be present, escaping daily noise and being at one with themselves, appreciating all around them as well as those around them.
This notion of connection with the self and the sense of togetherness inspired the Ukiyo collection. I wanted to create a mindful and sensory experience; using texture, form, pattern and colour to keep the user mindful when interacting with the objects:
The first set 'Cups and Condiments' is a playful, interactive and shared piece. With a set of 6
vessels on various sized, marbled pillars, the idea is to share, move and interact with these objects as a group. The vessels are designed to be used for whatever the user feels, whether it's for liquids, dips or appetizers, it is left open for the user to decide.
The 'Tea Bowl' set is about being mindful of the moment in enjoying tea. We often rush through our warm beverage whilst working or hurriedly gulp it down before running out the door, or perhaps mindlessly drink whilst watching T.V. The idea of the set is to keep you mindful of the moment and enjoying the aroma, warmth and flavour. The bowl is large and to be held in both hands, instantly creating a cosy feeling and connection with the object. It's designed in a traditional Japanese matcha bowl style, wide enough for a whisk to enter and mix the tea powder into a delicious drink and an inner 'tea pool' feature to collect residue tea particles. With a modest satin exterior I wanted to give the bowl a textural feel for the user to think about the gentle grip in the hands and like Japanese culture, keeping it humble, not to show off with a high polish shine. Instead the rim would be burnished, giving that subtle high shine with a satin interior. Accompanied by a small 'wagashi' plate and skewer with jesmonite handle. Often matcha and other green tea is thought of as tasting bitter and therefore, when enjoying matcha, a sweet is first served. The tea is drank afterward. This combination balances out the sweet and bitter flavours, creating not only a mindful experience, but bringing with it a sensory experience through tactility, visual aesthetic, smell and taste.
The final part of the collection is the Sake Towers set. I wanted to fully combine the two materials; silver with the jesmonite and this drove this design to what it is. In Japan it is said that Sake is the drink of the Gods and is often offered up at shrines in prayer. It is also served in a special way among friends and colleagues and comes with many rules to follow depending on a persons status and more. One of the 'rules' that caught my attention was that no-one is to pour for themselves but only to pour for others. It is said if a man pours his own drink he will be unsuccessful in business and if a woman pours her own then she will be unlucky in love (perhaps this is where I went wrong)!? I love the deeper meaning of this sake rule; that there
is a sense of togetherness. To be mindful of others and keeping their cups full, staying
connected to those around us and really being in the moment.
The use of colour was inspired by an amalgamation of things; firstly, colour is a major point of inspiration. Whilst travelling Japan, I encountered colour in many forms; from digital art museums, to street lights and lanterns, to sculpture to nature. When I was immersed in the digital art, the colour was always changing and transforming, blending and growing into a new hue. When walking through the kimono forest in Kyoto I was engulfed in a maze of colourful fabrics and patterns, then the beautiful hydrangeas would bloom in brights and pastel colours and later in the month begin to decay. I discovered that what I was drawn to was the constant flow and transition of colour. I decided to try marbling my colours to capture a flow and sense of movement and transition within the work.
Secondly, my colour choices were decided
upon through studying colour theory and colour psychology. By understanding colour combinations and hues and then applying that with the knowledge of emotional connection to colour, I'd decided that the use of purples would serve my concept well. Purple is a spiritual colour which connects to mindfulness. Being spiritual has nothing to do with religion (as many make that mistake). To elaborate, spirituality is about being more aware of oneself, thoughts and actions. Being spiritual is about being more connected to understanding who you are and learning to be kinder to oneself and to others. This is exactly what mindfulness entails; it is a journey to being more present with yourself and the moment you are in and with those around you. In addition, purple is often mistaken for being a cool colour. However, it is in fact a bridge between warm and cool colours; warm colours are reds, oranges, pinks and yellows. These colours evoke feelings of energy, positivity and excitement. Cool colours are blues and greens. They evoke feelings of calm, healing and stillness. By playing with the purple hue I could tap into both aspects of the colour wheel bringing forward feelings of warmth and positivity by adding reds to my mixture. Yet I could also add the elements of tranquillity and relaxation by adding blues to the purple.
The Japanese word Ukiyo translates to 'temporary escape' or 'detached from the bothers of life'. I felt this was an appropriate name for the collection as I was aiming to take the user out of daily stresses and noise and bring them into a more mindful space. A space that can be shared and keeping that connection not just with ourselves, but with others as well.
My goal now is to hopefully find the mentoring I need to help bring this collection to life in the near future. I am also planning longer-term stays to Japan in order to fully immerse myself in the culture I am so passionate about. In the meantime, I will continue to practice where I can and look for silversmithing classes and workshops to help further my knowledge, confidence and skills in this field. Please check out my other blog to find out what I'm doing next with this project. There is so much information and inspiration within this concept that I've continued to develop and sample new ideas. So stay tuned on what's to follow soon! Thanks for reading.
Stevie.
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