Meet Japanese ceramicist Kaori Kurihara who brings clay to life in ways you may never have imagined. Her ceramic sculptures take the form of otherworldly fruits inspired by real exotic fruits and the imaginary ones. All of her pieces appear deceptively real as though they have been picked from an enchanting forest. But everything you’re about to see is just a product of her talent, creativity, clay, and a series of sculpting tools.
Kurihara finds fascination in the natural geometric repetition of forms found in edible botanicals and captures the mesmerizing patterns and textures in ceramic forms. And the first fruit to ignite her interest in making fanciful sculptures is the durian – a spiky fruit commonly cultivated in Southeast Asia known for its pungent smell and savory-sweet taste. In some of her works, Kurihara reproduces the thorny shell of the durian fruit, often adding some fascinating colors and fantastical details to turn the exotic fruit into something magical.
Ceramic Sculptures Inspired By Exotic Fruits
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“I was amazed by its unique and magnificent shape,” Kurihara shares. “Thanks to this discovery, I started to create my series of ‘the imaginary fruits’…I inspire myself by nature and looking between reality and fantasy. It’s my own imagination.”
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Kurihara meticulously handcrafts each piece with absolute precision. She first constructs the base then applies the details and repeating patterns. After the design is complete, she wraps the piece in plastic until it is ready to be fired in the kiln. Kurihara creates her series of botanical ceramics in her studio in Paris and keeps thousands of her followers updated with her latest creations on Instagram.
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Source: Instagram