Motoyuki Tonoike

New Works by Motoyuki Tonoike 外池素之

Unrefined clay and natural ash are the starting points for Motoyuki Tonoike’s work. In his Tokoname studio, he varies wood-ash recipes, clay bodies, and surface treatments from one firing to the next. Each kiln opening is something like a laboratory, revealing how individual clay and glaze combinations responded to the heat and which ones merit further development.

His route to ceramics was not linear. After working in advertising, Tonoike completed the Tokoname Tounomori Ceramics Research Institute in 2019 and established his practice in Tokoname and the surrounding Chita Peninsula. His latest work at ARJ extends this material-led approach across tea vessels, serving pieces, and three sculptural jar vases, moving from compact forms for daily use to larger objects for display.

The collection is now available at ARJ ROW DTLA, ARJ Santa Monica, and online.