In the Studio: Shoji Morinaga

We’ve been working with Shoji for a number of years now, but hadn’t had an opportunity to visit him and chat until recently…

How did the collaboration with Commune begin?
It started when Roman saw my exhibit at Playmountain EAST in 2017 and purchased a piece. Since then, I’ve made several bowls including lacquer bowls for the Commune Shop.

Tell us a little bit about your life. Where do you live in Japan and what is a typical day like for you?
I live in Kagoshima prefecture, which is located in the South of Japan. I wake up at 5 in the morning and drive about an hour to the workshop to work. I do a bit of administrative work such as emails, etc., and work every day from 7 am to 5 pm and take a break in the middle of the day. I take Sundays off to spend time with my children.

Can you tell us about what inspires you? Do you have any meaningful objects that you surround yourself with?
I love old furniture and artifacts. Spending time looking at auctions abroad is one of my few hobbies. I treasure the pieces I have bought or received from friends and artists close to me.

Can you tell us about how you started working with wood and what your training was like?
I worked for a local custom furniture maker where I was trained in the use of basic tools and machinery.

You find some of the most beautiful wood material to work with, how do you source it?
I choose local wood from the nearby forestry cooperative's chip mill just before it is crushed. I also like foreign woods such as walnut, so I buy from domestic suppliers, I also buy from suppliers in Japan, and I also get cheap parts that would otherwise be thrown away from suppliers with whom I have a close relationship.

When working with a piece of wood, do you have an idea of what you will make with it at the beginning or does the process ever result in something you don’t expect?
I love scraps of materials that can't be helped, so I often make pieces using their original shapes and materials.

You make a lot of functional pieces in your work, but you are also a sculptor. Can you tell us about your sculptural work and how you develop a form?
Sometimes I work from the original form of the material to create a finished form, and sometimes I am influenced by past artists’ motifs and shapes. Sometimes I abstract the shapes of plants and creatures.

Shop Shoji Morinaga