Chocolate Factory ceramist Akiko Hirai busy at work in her studio.
“I make, so people describe, asymmetrical, imperfect and organic forms in ceramic ware for domestic use. These words become a clichéd description of some types of oriental ceramic ware, and mine. Yet, it does not explain why beauty manifests itself in such controversial forms. Imperfection itself is not synonymous with beauty. Beauty in imperfection only applies when it shows flexibility and balance between objects and their environment. My practice over the past 10 years has been a journey to create this balance in everyday objects.” Akiko Hirai