WEDGWOOD ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: THE STORY OF HITOMI HOSONO
The Wedgwood Artist in Residence programme celebrates Wedgwood’s renowned heritage of innovation, craftsmanship and creative talent, dating all the way back to 1759.
The latest artist to take up a residency is the immensely talented Japanese ceramicist, Hitomi Hosono. Hitomi grew up in an area that she describes as ‘the Stoke-on-Trent of Japan’, surrounded by potteries. Her grandfather was a plasterer and ceramicist, so she remembers interacting with tiles and ceramics since she was a child.
After studying traditional ornamental pottery at art college in Japan, Hitomi studied in Denmark and then secured a place at the Royal College of Art in London for her Master of Arts degree. In 2008, Hitomi spent six weeks at the Wedgwood factory as an intern - the rest is history.
The journey began with Hitomi working alongside the Wedgwood designers and factory artisans to reimagine Wedgwood’s iconic Jasperware.
“I was inspired by the original Wedgwood sprigs that were informed by nature. I went into the Wedgwood archives, which is a bit like entering Wedgwood’s brain, and felt the history there. I love the idea of using a motif designed over 100 years ago,”
Hitomi Hosono
The pieces from the collection showcase intricate detail realised using skilled and time-consuming techniques such as piercing, ornamentation, turning and moulding. For example, it takes one of Wedgwood’s craftspeople two full days to apply over a thousand individually crafted daisies to the Kasumi Vase.
The Shoka Vase, Kasumi Vase, Haruka Bowl, Shuno Box, Touka Vase and set of three Sansai Objects from the Wedgwood by Hitomi Hosono Collection are represented by Adrian Sassoon, the UK's leading dealer in contemporary works of art.
