[Ceramic Artist: Yusuke Umakawa] Seeking to Understand What It Means to Be Human

This time, we visited the studio of ceramic artist Yusuke Umakawa to hear his story.

Umakawa’s workshop is located in Tamba-Sasayama, in central Hyōgo Prefecture.

In this region, where agriculture and tourism thrive, Umakawa continues to create ceramics that are colorful and playful, yet always carry a subtle sense of message within them.

Amid their brightness, there is a gaze that quietly reflects deeply on the human condition.

I first met Yusuke Umakawa at a group exhibition held in Osaka.

Later, I had the opportunity to sit down with him over coffee and hear his story at a more leisurely pace.

My first impression was of a calm, slightly shy person.
He listened attentively, nodding quietly, carefully choosing his words as he spoke—a demeanor that left a strong impression on me.

I particularly remember how passionately he explained his work when the conversation turned to his pieces.

It was in those moments that I caught a glimpse of his deep passion.

"I made this piece with this theme in mind."
"What I like about this piece is this part."

Hearing him speak like this, I could strongly feel that he truly loves the act of creating.

Among the works he showed me, let’s take a cup as an example to illustrate Umakawa’s philosophy.

The cup is covered with human figures.

Each one has its own expression, and upon closer look, no two faces are the same.

There are people laughing, people angry, people looking sad, and people who seem lost in thought—or perhaps thinking of nothing at all.

The way these diverse expressions line up is like a miniature reflection of human society itself.

Umakawa’s recent work focuses on the theme: “What does it mean to be human?”

He explained that, in communicating with others, he often wonders what someone else is truly thinking.

Even when paying close attention to words and expressions, it is impossible to fully grasp another person’s emotions.

It is this complexity of human nature that fascinates him, and he explores the question through the medium of ceramics.

"I believe that if I continue to express what I think it means to be human, I will come closer to an answer to this question."

As he spoke, Umakawa’s expression was utterly serious, filled with quiet determination.

 

He looks inward, listens to his own inner voice, and shapes it into form.

Then he sends it out into the world.

This, perhaps, is what expression means to Umakawa.

"I don’t think I could live without creating," he said near the end of our interview—a remark that left a strong impression.

Facing clay, facing others, and facing himself—
it is this attitude that seems to infuse his work with its quiet, compelling strength.