Akiko Jinbo

The Noguchi Museum Shop presents the work of Akiko Jinbo (b. 1976, Yamagata), a ceramic artist based in Kaminoyama in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Akiko works at Akishino kama, the studio founded in 1976 by her father Noboru (1951–2023) and mother Hiroko (b. 1945, Yamagata), along with her husband Yasunobu Wakabayashi (b. 1976, Sendai). Akiko’s work ranges from tableware and vases to the highly distinctive series of miniature buildings, Tou no ie, which the Museum is pleased to be the exclusive retailer for in North America.

The Tou no ie series was begun by Noboru in the 1980s. He was particularly inspired by the music, culture, and architecture of Scotland, and was moved to create the small, minimalist structures, gradually expanding the glaze palette from muted to colorful. Akiko began assisting her father on the series in the early 2010s, learning their construction from him over time and now continuing the project in his honor. Each miniature work is one-of-a-kind, with shapes and colors varying from each iteration of the series.

The Shop also presents a limited number of vases by Akiko that utilize deisai 泥彩 or “colored-clay painting,” a rare technique similar to slip painting, also learned from her father, that involves directly painting onto a form with a semi-liquid mixture of clay, water and pigment. Using this technique, Akiko explores two inspirations: kimono motifs and mathematical ideas. The former is often expressed via the Japanese traditional yabane 矢羽根 or “feather/arrow” design, and the latter via repetitive geometric patterns.

The Museum is the exclusive retailer for Tou no ie in the United States. Due to their small, one-of-a-kind nature, they are only sold in-person. For more information, visit the Shop or inquire at shop@noguchi.org.