Art and Perception--Tomoko Abe's Weathering Scape

“Simple” yet “complex,” two words that perfectly describe the work of Tomoko Abe. Abe creates work that reflects land, sea, space, or a combination of the three. She works with clay's natural tendencies and with skilled manipulation and patience to create works of art that capture a moment in time, yet it is unclear if we are catching something in a state of growth or decay. Abe does not only focus on the passage of time, but has contemplated the future. In one piece titled Weathering Scape, makes ceramic trash to urge us to think about our effect on the earth and to make the point that trash has become a part of our landscape.

Abe is not bound by the rules and limitations of clay, which allows her to be free in the studio. She casts, throws, dips, pierces, spreads, burns, and breaks the clay as well as uses mixed media such as cotton, gauze, paper, metal, and plastic to create works of art that are unlike anything that is being done today.