Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor

The Moon Gallery currently hosts the Liminal Form exhibit created by Yuichiro Komatsu, ceramist and professor of art at Columbus State University. According to Columbus State University’s website, Komatsu is originally from Tokyo, Japan. He graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with his BFA, and he received his MFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Komatsu’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, making it an honor to have his pieces here at Berry. There are five incredible pieces on display, including a set of white earthenware and glaze titled “Primordial Series.” The exhibit will be available for viewing in the Moon Gallery from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays until Nov. 14. 

On Monday, Oct. 21, from 5-6 p.m. in the Evans Auditorium, Komatsu gave an artist’s talk regarding his artistic process and his journey as an artist. Berry College senior Cameron Waddell attended the artist’s talk and was able to ask Komatsu some questions after the talk had ended. 

“I enjoyed his discussions about material and taking the time to do this lengthy process to get his results,” Waddell said. “He fires these things multiple times. He uses precision that not only took him years to master, but the process takes forever, and the result are these works  of art.”

The process of creating ceramic art consists of multiple steps, which can vary depending on the art style, materials available, or the end goal an artist has in mind. This process includes choosing a type of clay, such as earthenware, porcelain, or stoneware. The clay must then be wedged, an action similar to kneading dough, to remove any air bubbles. The rest of the process includes shaping the clay, firing the piece, glazing it, and firing the piece a second time. While this may seem straightforward, ceramists may face multiple challenges when working on their art. The art piece could potentially be ruined if the temperature of the kiln is too hot or the materials used in the piece don’t work well together. These factors are important to take into consideration when viewing the exhibit. Senior art major Allie Patterson thought the intricacy of Komatsu’s work was incredible. 

“I was absolutely flabbergasted because he has these forms in the piece called biomorphic, and they are these perfectly rounded forms that are just so smooth,” Patterson said. “And they are hand-built, which means that they are not casting a mold; they are simply sculpted by hand, and the smoothness in those was astonishing to me because of the amount of skill you must have to do that.” 

In a statement given to be displayed with the artwork, Komatsu wrote, “The modular nature of my artwork reflects the belief that existence is contextually defined by its surroundings, and the interplay between form                                           and formlessness.”  

Komatsu also included in the statement that the Japanese concept of ‘Ma’ inspired him during the creation of his art. This concept is defined as an admiration for the beauty found in the mundane and using negative space to draw attention to balance and harmony. 

“He talks a lot about space and the idea of ‘where is space,’” Waddell said. “These things aren’t empty because they’re holding space, there’s space inside of them.”

According to Patterson, Komatsu also stressed the importance of engaging with other artists and creating community. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Komatsu not only delivered an artist’s talk but also visited a pre-thesis class for senior art majors. He spoke with the students about their midterm projects and artistic processes. 

“You show him your project, and he just has so many different questions,” Patterson said.  “I feel like what makes a great art professor the quality of questions they ask their students about their work. And then how did they defend that question, or how do they answer that question? He asked really good questions about both the process and purpose behind our work, which was really nice.”

It was very kind of Komatsu to engage with Berry’s art community and offer his invaluable advice. Be sure to make your way over to the Moon Gallery before Nov. 14 to see Komatsu’s work.