Biography
Kosi Hidama was born in Okayama, Japan. In 1993, he relocated to Belgium to work as a dancer. His subsequent career in dance and performance with Belgian and European artists took him to the essence of Occidental aesthetics, and while living as a foreigner in Europe, he simultaneously discovered the profound value of Japanese culture and the various possibilities of beauty and philosophy that it could still offer. After the catastrophic earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident in Fukushima, Hidama met potters who had been forced to evacuate. As a result of this meeting, he experienced profound sorrow, not only for the artisans from Fukushima who had fled for their lives, but also for all of the traditional, skilled craftsmanship that is disappearing around the world. Hidama became fascinated by the possibility of pottery as an art form and began creating his own works, aiming to discover what he, through his Japanese culture, could offer to Europe. Soon after, he started studying pottery at the Academie Beeldende Kunsten Anderlecht in Brussels. Axel Vervoordt became interested in Hidama's work, and in 2013 invited him to collaborate. Currently, Hidama creates pieces both for the Axel Vervoordt Company, as well as for his own studio.
Philosophy
“I find inspiration in our traditional tea ceremony in Japan. In my pottery I also feel very inspired by Buddhism which created the esthetic wabi sabi. With my work I want to offer meditative moments when people share tea and time, feeling the shape of pottery, the texture of the clay and color of it. I would like to generate meditative, peaceful and relaxed moments. To provoke this relaxed feeling.
-Kosi, as published by Creators Chambers
Process
“Wobbling the edge, shifting the centre while throwing on the wheel, making scratches with a piece of wood, splashing glazes in different colours, and finally, placing the piece in the high temperature of a fire, these are the rituals of initiation that each of my creations needs to accept, stages in their very own life adventure. And I, with my hands and eyes, am creating and observing their very voyage.
I hope I can transmit a journey of introspection to each person who holds one of my pieces in their hands.”
-Kosi