WORK OF THE WEEK: Nao Matsunaga, Home Tower, 2019

22 Aug

**Nao Matsunaga,**
*Home Tower*, 2019
Glazed porcelain
56 x 25.7 x 35.2 cm
22 x 10 ⅛ x 13 ⅘ in.

Nao Matsunaga's porcelain and ceramic works, showcased alongside his woodland sculptures in his exhibition: A Year's Thought, demonstrate his unique and thoughtful creative process. Rooted in archaism, his blue and white sculptures pay tribute to the past whilst offering a new perspective.

The blue and white colour combination, particularly in ceramics, originated in China in the 9th century AD, however it wasn't until the early 14th century that the mass production of fine, translucent, blue and white porcelain started at Jingdezhen (often referred to as the porcelain capital of China). The European Revivalism of this aesthetic mimicked this colour combination in mediums such as delftware (a tin glazed pottery) and later in ceramics, coming to be known as The Willow Pattern. The European Classical Revival, prominent in the 18th Century and onwards, sought to incorporate classical elements and motifs into art whilst assimilating contemporary methods, features and relevance. Matsunaga has continued this legacy, drawing from the archaic blue and white motif and channelling it through his own method of sculpting.

With his hands as his primary tool, Matsunaga allows his sculptures to take shape with little to no preconception as to how how they will turn out. Rather than rolling (as in the larger works), these are ‘slapped’ into shape – Matsunaga calls this ‘slap building’ (as opposed to ‘slab’) so that you can see the evidence of the hand.

'I am conscious of the repetitive action in my making, of not knowing what I am trying to achieve, teaching my muscles to move in a certain way, breathing and not breathing, but working and responding to the reality of what is happening in front of me. This is how my pieces emerge into being. Controlling the speed and time of my engagement with a piece is an important method I use in creating something that is different from a previous piece. Changing or altering the physical distance I have from a piece while I work is another way I apply some control over what happens in my studio.'

Nao Matsunaga's solo exhibition in the Gallery at Roche Court concludes in September 2025, however, his work is permanently on display and will be shown in the Design House later this year.