Koji Shiraya

Man lives out daily contradictions in his relationship with nature. Koji Shiraya expresses the harmony of nature’s beauty and man’s use of it in his minimalistic works.

In a series of ‘Trinary, 2015-2’, all the white pieces are made up of the three materials; Silica(SiO2), Alumina(Al2O3) and Lime(CaO), that are main components in the earth’s crust. Each piece was mixed in different rate of the three and was fired in 1280°C. These three materials account the great majority (about 80%)of the earth’s crust, and in combination, under controlled heat, they create a wide range of diverse expressions from solid to fluid, although the melting points of all three are far higher than 1280°C.(SiO2-1650°C, Al2O3-2050°C, and CaO-2572°C).

Shiraya considers those pieces of chemical changes as an epitome of the earth. Their various characteristics by the three fundamental materials are what happen on the earth in its long history, naturally and essentially. At the same time, it indicates that the rest of the components which total only 20% of the earth’s crust and organic matters in the earth make the world colourful.

His intention is to offer a place of contemplation, bringing nature closer to us, and magnifying detail of its reality.

Shiraya received his MA in Fine Art, Ceramics and Glass from the Royal College of Art, United Kingdom, in 2010. He has exhibited in Japan, the UK, Germany and more. In 2012 he won the Open West Curator's Award, Gloucester, UK, and received the Bronze Award (Ceramics Design) in the 8th International Ceramic Competition, Mino, Gifu, Japan in 2008.