Studio Cúze // Hiding in plain sight
Interview by Reeme Idris

The hands behind the bottles containing natural perfume ‘Voyage de Senteur’, a collaboration between Atelier Å Journal and Ryoko Berlin, belong to Yasuhiro Cúze of Studio Cúze.
The Japanese, Berlin based ceramicist created these sculptures as an expression of the scent as an artform, each unique, each precious. With porcelain as his material of choice, Cúze hand crafts pieces to be used time and again, serving their purpose to gently nourish the senses.
Whilst ceramics culture is having its moment, Cúze provides an example of elegance that demands nothing whilst delivering everything. Smooth or delicately textured, white, and creamy tones or subtle greys lifted gently by warmer pinks and browns; his skill is such that it’s hard to believe human hands are responsible, but they are and no two products are alike.
If pressed, Cúze will explain the Japanese Kohiki technique and its origins in the Korean yi dynasty, or more on his signature tobikanna style. Visitors to his studio and enquiring minds like my own can certainly feed our curiosity this way. Or we can feel our way through these vessels, they were, after all, designed to fill our corporeal appetites.
Nowadays we need, more than ever, that which is sensual to help liberate us from ourselves, so take comfort in the hands of Cúze.

Could you tell us more about your materials, recycled porcelain in particular?

For the Helice and Plain series which I regularly produce, I’m using a new kind of porcelain.
As part of the making process, I collect the trimming leftovers and rejected pieces, break them into fragments, and once dry, soak them in water, then add the adequate amount of water to rejuvenate and recycle. This is just a routine process and not a special technique or idea. But as I don’t own a specific piece of equipment to rejuvenate the material in my atelier, it’s a rather pain staking process to fully extract all the impurities. And as I’m not able to use these for the Helice and Plain series, the reality is that when you think about the labour involved it’s cheaper for me to buy the materials new, and so the recycled material kept piling up.
In thinking about what kind of new line I could produce with the remaining material, I came up with Strand. The material produces a coating of a sandy dotted texture, leaving no need for the inside to be pure white, and in fact adds character.

What are some of the traditional techniques you use? 

I’m constantly testing and researching new techniques, but the technique I’ve been using on a constant basis is tobikanna. Once I’ve finished trimming the piece, I apply the chattering tool while it’s turning on the wheel. By applying a little bit of pressure, the chattering tool jumps on a rhythm, marking a pattern in a spiral motion. The patterns differ depending on a combination of how firm the surface is, the speed of the wheel, the angle and nature of the tool and so on.
The time it takes to make the pattern is actually very short, but it’s really meditative, and maybe that’s why I’ve been continuing to use it.

Many of your pieces look almost too perfect, too pristine to be handmade. Why do you think you’re able to achieve your signature aesthetic?

Firstly, I think the character of the porcelain itself is contributing to this. But also, because I myself undertake all elements, from the design, craft to the production through a design thinking process.  
It’s not mass produced but rather in a more personal way, as if made with an individual in mind. In trying to pursue my ideal, my process probably involves an inefficient way of doing things as well. Maybe there is an appeal in these very slight contrasts that come of out this.

How has the pandemic affected your life and work?

At the time, like many people, I was living under many uncertainties and worries. Reflecting on things, I recognized that I was able to survive precisely because of the support of my local community. So I began to think it was time for me to contribute back to the local community in some way.
During this period, I wasn’t able to fire my kiln in my atelier at a high temperature, so I would normally bisque fire with my own then go to another location to finish the firing. But due to Corona the facility was temporarily closed. Forcing me to come up with something I could do in this situation.
On a stroll one afternoon, some plant pots on a windowsill caught my eye. It got me thinking that perhaps some plants would help, if only visually, in elevating some stress for members of the creative community in those times. And a vase to put those plants in would actually be something I could make within my means.
 So, I decided to make some plant pots and distribute them to people. I think this was around the end of March.

During those 5 weeks of concentrating solely on plant pots, I remembered something I saw at an exhibition at a private gallery in Berlin called Feure. I had a profound flash back of the feeling when I saw this stone Buddhist figure. It was as if I had been hit over the back of my head with a hammer. Having this direct pure emotional response to it. It wasn’t made by somebody for short term gain or to fulfil someone’s vanity. It was almost a spiritual feeling, but at the same time questions boomeranging back to me. Am I able to make things in the same pure emotional way?!

I decided that with the plant pots, I don’t want to be constrained with short-term gains, to try and liberate myself to concentrate freely on diligently making something for somebody. This of course sounds obvious, but a feeling one neglects time to time. It was maybe something close to being in prayer, freeing myself from short term gratification and rewards during this period, it was really a worthwhile experience.
In the end I made an announcement just through Instagram stories, from which people could reserve online and collect on the following Sunday. After the first half an hour all the items were fully reserved. Taking the risks into consideration, it was arranged so around 5 to 6 sets of people would visit each hour, making sure to keep their distance. I gave away around 45 vases in the end. It was all made possible due to the support of my business partner Robin, who took care of the website development and communication for my social networks.

What does it mean to create with the hands?

To create with your mind, or you can say one thinks with the mind and makes with their hands, but they are one and the same and can’t be detached from one another. I think beauty can be pursued through the continuous repetition of this process.          

Do you feel a clear and direct connection with your own spirit and soul to your work?

Yes, I completely feel that way. I was diagnosed with tuberculosis when I was 23 years old, which gave me a chance to seriously think about my life. I swore to myself then and there, in the hospital bed, that I would become a ceramicist. That I would make my studies, then head to Berlin. Tuberculosis was a tough experience, but it changed me in a way that otherwise one wouldn’t experience. I see it as a positive now on reflection. And I still constantly have that feeling of hunger and drive.

Why do you think pottery so universal in how it has stood the test of time?

 I think it in the same way that dance can be both religious and universal in contemporary life, ceramics and dance are in a way, can be considered similar acts. 　

How do you relate your workspace to your craft, or does it not matter too much? 

My studio is in an industrial area in Berlin. It’s a tiny studio within an old garage which we built mostly ourselves with recycled material I gathered. It’s the place I spend most of my time in, and naturally influences my work, so I try and make it a fun, comfortable and creative space, updating things here and there when I have the time.
Of course, there are many things that influence me, from the people around me to the surrounding environment. So, it’s important for me to be living in a city like Berlin, where there are many creative influences to draw on everywhere.

Could you tell me more about your recent collaboration with Å Journal?

For Å Journal, I made a bottle to house the perfume in collaboration between Ryoko and Atelier Å Journal. Perfume bottles made from crystal or glass allows the light to pass through the casing and liquid, giving a more complex character to the perfume. As you can’t recreate a similar effect with porcelain, it doesn’t really work if you just replicate the outline with another material.
After some trial and error, I think the result is, although small, a unique and distinctive form.

Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to tell us about?

At the moment I have some of the biggest collaborations I’ve worked on in the pipeline, working with people in Berlin from a wide variety of disciplines.

 Show: 1000vases Paris 3-6 Sep 2020

Fair: Pots und Blitz Wien 25-27 Sep 2020