Yuki Ando and his Imagination

Have you ever sat down and looked at art and thought wow that would have been fun to make? Yuki Ando – bright, bold, playful, organic, and laughable. Take a read and learn about my favourite chromatic fellow at the moment

I found out about Ando one month ago while on a stroll in Chelsea. It was a lovely day, the sun was out, creating the type of hard angular light that makes white gallery spaces look a little less plain. I was using my coolometer to go looking for something to do when I stumbled upon Ando’s exhibit at the Ross+Kramer Gallery just off the Highline.

As I walked down the street of the gallery, head down inspecting google maps for a pizza spot, my attention got snatched by what appeared to be large morphs of colourful goo. Intrigued, I entered the gallery and thus began my current colourful preoccupation.

Yuki Ando is a ceramic artist based in Shigaraki, Japan. For many years he was an instructor at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park and while teaching worked on his own personal projects in parallel. Although now more focused on the latter, his philanthropic attitude certainly comes through in his work. Ando has stated that through his work he, “strives to improve himself from within by means of mindful contemplation and interaction with others.”

As shown above, his work quite literally reaches out for your affection, looking for a hug. Drawing inspiration from elderly sacred trees, the art of stone balancing, and natural formations such as limestone caves it is no coincidence that his works offer a sense of comfort and seem familiar. In addition, the pastel colours employed in many of his works further this inviting feeling, one of softness and subtlety. There are no sharp edges only organic morphs, there are no sinister colours only whimsical combinations of saturation. Ando creates a creative ambiance that embraces the creative spirit and where it wishes to go. His exhibition seems to me like an attempt to describe the shape of imagination and all its funny quarks.

However, aside from all this mumbo-jumbo his work just makes me laugh and smile.