Lennart de Neef

For this exhibition, I collaborated closely with Akihiro Boujoh, who runs the OOO Hasami residency together with his wife, Misako Nakajima. We worked at the Aizengama ceramics factory in the village of Hasami, Akihiro’s hometown. He introduced me to the local community and connected me with artisans and businesses in the area.
As a result, this exhibition not only presents the artistic outcomes of our collaboration, but also marks an ongoing connection: I developed a series of ceramic lamps, now available at HIROPPA, the shop operated by the local brand Maruhiro Inc.

During my residency at OOO Hasami, I worked at Aizengama to repurpose discarded ceramic products into hybrid objects and sculptures. By transforming rejected pieces, I aimed to create new forms while also engaging with ideas of transformation, tradition, and sustainability within the Japanese ceramic industry and contemporary art.
All materials used in this project were generously provided by Aizengama and the Hasami-based brand Maruhiro Inc. ♥️

About Akihiro Boujoh
Akihiro Boujoh (b. 1990, Hasami, Japan)
Akihiro Boujoh’s artistic practice often engages with natural phenomena—such as wind, heat, and human behavior—to create works that gradually shift the viewer’s perception.
His FOLDS series (initiated in 2021) takes inspiration from the simple act of folding an A4 sheet of paper before discarding it. Recently, Boujoh has extended this concept to porcelain—a material not typically associated with folding—by embracing distortion, a key issue in ceramic industry waste.
Acknowledging the effects of moisture, heat, and gravity on porcelain production, Boujoh crafts delicate porcelain sheets and allows natural forces to determine their final form. Through this process, he brings attention to the often-overlooked problem of industrial waste in porcelain manufacturing, encouraging reflection and awareness.

→ [Go to the exhibition page on the 063 FACTORY gallery website]

FOLDS project by Akihiro Boujoh

all pictures by Seitaro Iki