Masatomo Toi Japan

Masatomo Toi's practice is deeply rooted in an emotional connection to the softness and imperfection of clay. At the heart of the work lies a process of cathartic self-exploration-an expression of inner life through tactile engagement with form. The material's natural irregularity and gentle malleability embody the philosophy of wabi-sabi, where beauty is found in imperfection, impermanence, and quietude.

Toi's work responds to the pressures of contemporary life-its pace, competitiveness, and overwhelming flow of information-which are seen as contributors to widespread stress, depression, and spiritual unease. In clay, Toi discovered a release: a way to process profound grief following the loss of a friend to suicide. This therapeutic connection echoes the principles of clinical catharsis and hakoniwa ryōhō (sandplay therapy), turning the act of making into a ritual of emotional expression and inner healing.

Drawing inspiration from the tattered textiles (boro) of the Tōhoku region, Toi creates ceramic forms that also reference the tea bowls of Bakōhan and Seppō, and incorporate discarded materials from the Mino region. Through layering and assemblage-of self, memory, waste, and time-the works evoke a quiet yet dynamic beauty born from fragility and renewal.

Toi's practice ultimately seeks not only aesthetic resonance but also personal liberation-an effort to convey the shifting intensity of subjective feeling, and to find solace through the visual language of imperfection.