Bulevardin myymälässämme on parhaillaan esillä japanilaissyntyisen taiteilija Akiko Morin Circle-näyttely, jonka veistoksissa korostuvat geometriset muodot sekä valon ja varjojen vaihtelu. Teosten taustalla on Morin kiinnostus arkkitehtuuriin, luonnonilmiöihin ja ajan kulumiseen. Haastattelimme Moria hänen työskentelystään, inspiraatiostaan ja näyttelyn synnystä.
Hi Akiko, could you tell us first a little about yourself and your journey as an artist?
I have been fascinated by architecture since I was a child. Rather than drawing people or animals, I would draw floor plans and imagine the spaces within them. I originally wanted to become an architect, but eventually found my own way of exploring architectural space through sculpture.
You were born and studied in Japan and later established a studio in Helsinki. What brought you to Finland, and has living here influenced your work?
When my Swiss husband and I were considering moving to Finland, we came to Helsinki for a visit. The city itself didn’t particularly excite me at first, but when we reached Eiranranta and saw its rocky shoreline and small islands, I was captivated by the unfamiliar landscape. Having lived in Japan, Singapore and Zurich, I had never encountered anything quite like it. That was the moment I decided to move to Finland.
Today, Eiranranta is just a two-minute walk from my studio. I am fascinated by how these rock formations have taken shape over time, shaped by the physical forces of their environment.
Where do you find inspiration for your sculptures?
I am fascinated by how materials change over time through natural processes, and by the physical forces behind these transformations.
In my work, I explore these processes through clay. By carefully adjusting the proportions of clay and water, the degree of drying, and the firing temperature, I can influence how the material transforms and achieve the forms I envision. Through experimentation, I have developed a deeper understanding of how these different conditions affect the final result.
I am interested in the physical laws that shape the world around us, and in exploring how these forces can be expressed through sculpture.
Could you tell us about the idea behind your upcoming exhibition, Circle, at Fasetti?
For this exhibition at Fasetti, I have created a new series of cylindrical grid sculptures, exploring geometric forms and the possibilities of repetition.
Repetition is an important theme in my work. When the grid forms a circle, the pattern continues without a clear beginning or end. For me, this endless continuity is connected to the passage of time, much like the circular face of a clock.
The cylindrical forms also bring to mind architectural spaces, such as concert halls and stadiums, where people gather.
How do your sculptures interact with the spaces and objects around them?
For me, a sculpture is not a fixed form. Its appearance changes with the light, shadows and space around it.
As sunlight moves throughout the day, the shadows cast by my sculptures change in length and intensity. The empty spaces within the sculptures are just as important as their solid forms.
My work invites us to notice things we might otherwise overlook, such as the movement of light, the presence of air and the subtle changes that happen around us over time.
What do you hope visitors will experience when seeing the Circle exhibition?
Perhaps Circle can offer visitors a moment to look at things from a different perspective and become more aware of the passage of time.
Through repetition and continuity, the exhibition explores how something that appears constant can change through its relationship with light and space. It may also invite visitors to notice the subtle transformations happening around them every day.
Akiko Morin Circle-näyttely on nähtävillä Fasetin Bulevardin myymälässä Helsingissä 11.1.2027 saakka.
Tervetuloa tutustumaan näyttelyyn!
