Miki Asai

“I aim to capture the beauty of imperfection and impermanence and own the fragments of the momentary beauty of this world.”

profile

Miki Asai explores materials to express intangible and fleeting beauty like light and shadow, or colour of sky. She aims to capture the beauty of imperfection and impermanence and own the fragments of the momentary beauty of this world.

She destroys and reconstructs materials digesting her experience. Eggshell is crushed to create the cracking surface that looks as if the moment was frozen. Seashell is cut into tiny chips that flicker iridescently. The stone like surface is made from powdered mineral stones, finding ‘time’ in their solidity and permanence. She uses materials as her non-verbal language.

CURRENTLY WORKING FROM AICHI, JAPAN

 
 

fun fact

Blurred

Some people might think I have a proper design before making, but I actually don’t really know what it would look like in most cases. I decide the form, colour and texture as I am making. So the result is always a surprise for myself too.

To embody the sense of transience and ambiguity, as seen in the image of the brooch on the left, which I captured by blurred photos, I investigated the system that gives shimmering movement. Springs express the fleeting untouchable existence, lightness and movement which are key elements in my development. The springs make playful effect by interacting with the wearer. The hundreds of springs tremble when it moves. The small gold discs will give a twinkling effect by reflecting light to express the transience and give the tactile quality.

This brooch is entirely crafted from gold, symbolizing the value of the moment.

18K gold, 2017

purpose

Seagull

My work does have a conceptual foundation, but to be honest, I just need to fulfill my need to make something. I simply cannot exist without it. As the saying goes, "God is in the details".

There were a flock of seagulls in the canal next to my house in wintertime when I was very little. My grandpa threw small pieces of bread into the sky towards them from our garden. The seagulls made a big circle above us.

I made this necklace inspired by the photograph my grandpa took 30 years ago. The little birds are made of thin silver sheet and soldered. I left the oxidized black and gray colour and used China ink which my grandma left to dye the silk cord gray to represent the monochrome tone from the photograph.

This piece is my materialized memory and feelings. I preserved the moment which fleets and gone before you realize.

Silver, silk cord, China ink, 2016

pivot

Frozen

This pieces is one of two pieces that are the very first of my graduation work. They were meant only to be test pieces for material experimentation. However, luckily, they came out quite nicely and they became a part of the collection. I had tried many different materials for my graduation show including enamel, resin plastic, glass, wood and so on. Since I managed to get a positive result with these two materials, eggshell and seashell, I have been quite focused on them.

Japanese Paper, Lacquer, eggshell, silver leaf, silver, steel wire

people

Perfection and Imperfection

I am doing my best to participate in shows and events so that I can meet artists and audiences all over the world. My work leads me to new places and people. Sometimes artist friends invite me to take part in group shows. Some gallerists or event organisers reach out to me to invite me for their shows and events.

Japanese society tend to be strict. However, the Japanese aesthetics of Wabi-Sabi finds beauty in imperfection. I wonder if there is ʻperfect imperfectionʼ?

As I engage in shows and events, meeting artists and audiences worldwide, my work leads me to new places and people, reflecting this appreciation for the imperfect.

This ring has checked pattern for the strict rules and the cracking surface for the imperfection.

Wood, lacquer, eggshell, seashell, mineral pigment, 2020

professional

Elements

The most impactful advice I’ve received is ‘be confident’. My advice to offer is better to do it rather than just thinking about it. I avoid making rules or routines as I tend to be obsessive with silly rules. In the future, I hope to do a solo show and also publish my own artist book.

This group of brooches are the work selected for the first time for ʻSchmuckʼ International Trade Fair in Munich.

This annual show was the first time I saw contemporary jewelry and decided to pursue it as a field of study. Then I went abroad and enrolled in a school in the UK. Having my piece showcased there had always been a dream of mine. Being selected for this competition was one of my most memorable experiences.

Japanese Paper, lacquer, eggshell, seashell, mineral pigment, silver, steel wire, 2019

“I have always loved making, even since I was a toddler. I remember how I felt when I was touching cray and drawing in the kindergarten. I love materials and creating things with them. I am inspired by making. Making makes me to make.”

passion

Still Life

I have always been eager to make something since I was a toddler. I have kept small lovely objects I found. I remember that I wished to catch the sparkle of fireworks in the sky and put it into my pocket to take it back home. Somehow, I have similar feelings about what I see even now. Making is the way I collect these feelings and preserve them.

These days, Iʼve been looking at still life as my motif. Recently I have been looking at daily objects as bottles or fruits in a bowl. This motif is about still life painting like Morandi or Cezanne. I look at those daily objects to picture and preserve the time of normal day in a normal life which is very precious but easy to be forgotten to appreciate it.

I also simply enjoy creating the small vases and still life painting-ish images.

Japanese Paper, lacquer, eggshell, mineral pigment, silver, steel wire, 2020-2021

 
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