Shigeru Inoue｜井上 茂

Career

Main techniques: kohiki, ash kohiki, ash glaze, Mishima, inka Mishima, and carved Mishima.

About the artist

Shigeru Inoue is a ceramic artist working from his home studio in Chiryū, Aichi.

He began making pottery in 2009, while working as a company employee, after attending a pottery class. Rather than studying at an art university or specialist school, he developed his practice independently—reading, examining old shards and firing methods, and repeating experiments.

A strong interest in clay itself defines Inoue’s work. He uses naturally occurring and self-collected raw clay rather than relying only on refined commercial clay, shaping each vessel while learning the character of the material. He also mixes his own glazes, including plant ash glazes, and continues to explore kohiki, ash glaze, and Mishima techniques.

Raw clay contains stones, sand, and other impurities, and is not always easy to work with. Inoue does not remove everything. He accepts the variations and landscapes revealed by firing as part of the clay’s character, leaving each vessel with a natural and powerful expression unlike a uniform industrial product.

At the same time, Inoue’s aim is not to make objects for contemplation alone, but vessels for everyday meals.

His work moves between preserving the force of the earth and refining it into forms that feel natural at the table.