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Akiyama's works are ceramic objects comprised of ceramic surfaces geometrically organized in a way that leaves fresh traces of fingertips and fingernails. With Noda's work, glass rods are melted onto shapes that have organically curved surfaces which produce remarkably unusual combinations. Her work focuses on the differences between clay and glass.

Even though each artist approaches their work in a different way, they share something in common in that they touch and feel their materials as if they were tending to living plants.

Compared to media arts, "ceramics" may have a seemingly old-fashioned feel to it, but its more primitive and direct relation to objects has seen it come more into the mainstream. These two artists feel this richness and a connection to the clay.

What's important is patience and an awareness of how things are. Pushing with the tips of the fingers and rubbing with the palms of the hands. Looking at clay and glass melting, and attempting to discover the shape which is being formed. It begins with a handful of clay that is yet to be anything. The relationship between the creator and the clay is transformed by touching, seeing and feeling, expanding small amounts of space into seemingly large expanses of landscape.

Another side to ceramics - shapes that are not merely vessels or containers.

Haruka Akiyama
Born in 1986 in Kouchi prefecture, currently residing in Kyoto. She graduated from Kyoto University of Education, Faculty of Education in 2008 with a degree in Art & Design and, in 2011, she graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts with a master's degree in Ceramics. She works on themes such as the boundaries and traces of moments of shapes. In addition to ceramics, she also works on performance, and is attracted to how the performing arts inspire us to directly feel the relationships between body, object and space.

[Awards and Exhibitions]
2008 "Sangoku-engi" new generation Chinese, Japanese and Korean contemporary ceramics exhibition (China)
2009 "Koku no morph / kuki o sokki suru" Solo Exhibition (Kyoto)
Empathy of the New Generation Contemporary Asian Ceramics exhibition (Korea)

2010 Selected for Kyoten, (Kyoto)
Selected for Ulsan Onggi International Competition (South Korea)
"Hako-no-machi" Solo Exhibition entitled (Kouchi)
2011 Alumni Award from Kyoto City University of Art (Kyoto)

Aya Noda
Born in 1984 in Izu-Islands, currently residing in Kyoto. She graduated from Tama Art University, faculty of Art and Design, Department of Ceramics, Glass, and Glass Works in 2008 majoring in Ceramics. She is currently working on a master's degree in Ceramics at Kyoto City University of Art. She creates her pieces, fusing similar but different materials such as transparent glass and ceramics with organic textures.

[Exhibitions]
2010 Kyoto student exhibition (Kyoto)
2010 Asian contemporary ceramics exhibitions ( South Korea)

English Text Translated by Takaaki Yamane and Sandra Stevens