Kyoko Hori - That Night, Water Room 1995

Kyoko Hori, a Japanese ceramic artist, is renowned for her ability to create works that transcend mere material form to embody a dialogue between the artist and the material. Her 1995 work, "That Night, Water Room," measuring 31.5 cm in height, 52 cm in width, and 26 cm in depth, is a striking example.
Kyoko Hori was born in 1988 and continued her studies at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Kyoto City University of the Arts. She has had a prolific career, exhibiting her work in galleries both in Japan and abroad. Hori has also received prestigious awards, such as the Kyoto City New Artist Award in 2001, and distinctions in international ceramic exhibitions, including those in New Zealand and Italy.
This work, entitled "That Night, Water Room," is part of a series in which Hori explores the intimate relationship between the creator and clay, a technique she calls "physicalization." For Hori, this process goes beyond simple material manipulation and becomes a form of bodily expression, where each piece becomes an extension of her own inner life and her relationship with the history of life on Earth.

The bisque porcelain sculpture "That Night, Water Room" is characterized by its fluid and organic appearance. The curved, broken forms seem reminiscent of marine shells or water-eroded artifacts, symbolizing the passage of time and collective memory. Hori uses the coil technique, which involves rolling clay into thin cylinders and stacking them, creating structures that evoke the slow, meditative process of nature itself. This technique allows the artist to leave a tangible trace of each interaction with the clay, a process she describes as an ongoing conversation between the artist and the material.

The forms appear almost fragile, with irregular edges and openings that evoke vulnerability. This fragility is reinforced by the white color of the clay, which contrasts with the idea of solidity one might expect from ceramics. This contrast can be seen as a metaphor for the duality of life itself—both strong and ephemeral.

The title "That Night, Water Room" suggests a nighttime scene, perhaps an intimate space or sanctuary where water plays a central role. Water, often associated with life, change, and purification, could symbolize in this work the constant flux of life and memory, recurring themes in Hori's work. The piece could be interpreted as an introspective space, where natural elements and organic forms meet to tell a silent story of transformation and renewal.

Hori's work is also influenced by her reflection on the evolutionary history of vertebrates, particularly the way mammals carry within them the collective memory of 500 million years of evolution. This profound awareness of biological heritage translates into her works through an organic and living quality. In "That Night, Water Room," this is manifested in the natural forms and textures that seem to breathe, giving the work a vitality that transcends mere materiality.

Through "That Night, Water Room," Kyoko Hori succeeds in capturing the essence of a deeply personal interaction between the artist and her medium. This work embodies not only an exploration of form and texture, but also a reflection on life, memory, and time. Through his unique approach to ceramics, Hori invites the viewer to contemplate not only the object itself, but also the invisible processes that shaped it, making each work not only an artistic expression, but also a testament to the universal human experience.
31.5 cm / Width 52 cm / Depth 26 cm
Original box.