Utsuwa — Japanese objects for everyday use by Kylie Johnson and Tiffany Johnson
Revealing the magic of the handmade, Utsuwa — Japanese objects for everyday use, is a book to cherish — akin to the craft within.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: Kylie Johnson & Tiffany Johnson
As designer Akira Minagawa of minä perhonen explains in the foreword for Utsuwa — Japanese objects for everyday use, “from the moment an object is created, the maker brings life and tangible form to their unique ideas.” This energy is transferred from imagination, to object, to the user while they sip their coffee or serve up a dish.
Utsuwa is a concept in Japan that explains the energy of the homemade, or as one of the writers, Kylie Johnson, says, ‘the magic of the handmade.’ It follows on from the mindset of omoiyari, a way of noticing and thinking of others, taught to children from a young age. The handmade is celebrated throughout Japan, and Utsuwa reveals the intricacies of how to find them — from artist studios, markets, and galleries across Japan.
Sisters Kylie and Tiffany Johnson grew up in an Australian house filled with these special objects; their childhood began a long-time love of the handmade and the maker's touch. And Japan has been a place they have often returned to, inspiring their individual paths, for Kylie, a ceramic artist, writer, and gallery owner, and Tiffany, a collector and book creator.
‘Our personal travels to Japan turned into creative tours that we take to Kyoto,’ shares Tiffany. ‘It was really a combination of learning so much about the place, getting to know the artists and some of the galleries that we were spending time in, that lead to the idea of documenting it for a book.’ Utsuwa turned into their love letter to Japan’s makers, galleries, and markets.
‘Over the years, I’ve replaced a lot of my everyday cooking utensils with Japanese ones. Not terribly expensive, but their design is often more thoughtful and makes cooking more pleasurable,’ says Tiffany Johnson. Photo: Kylie Johnson & Tiffany Johnson
“I adore every single piece I’m the custodian of; I’m transported back to the day and place and artist anytime I use a piece. This is the magic of the handmade.”
Writing the book came together after years of building connections in Japan, but the first relationship was triggered after Kylie brought a piece of Momoko Otani’s work online from a gallery in San Francisco. After the gallery asked Momoko to send the artwork, Kylie received a parcel with a lovely message from the artist inside. ‘[It] came saying ‘thank you so much for purchasing my work; I think this is the first piece to go to Australia. I would love to show my work there one day,’ Kylie remembers.
Four years later, Kylie opened her gallery in Brisbane and reached out to Momoko, asking if they’d like to exhibit. One visit to Japan later stemmed a long friendship — with the sisters’ dedicating the book to Momoko and Tetsuya Otani, their Japanese family. ‘Every visit to Japan we’ve visited them and have met many of their friends who are potters, wood makers and gallery owners, some of who we have included in the book,’ Kylie adds. ‘True and lasting friendship really does go a long way in creating a book as thoughtful as we’ve tried to make it.’
“I’m always in awe when spending time with people who can create such beauty with their hands and minds, so I got something out of time spent with every artist.”
Australia can embrace these ideas of the utsuwa in our daily lives by starting small. Tiffany’s inspiring advice: ‘Don’t be fooled by thinking that everything has to match or be the same size, you’ll quickly find that if you are buying pieces that you like, they will all go together by default of your own taste,’ she shares. ‘Just keep going by replacing the odd item in your kitchen or shelf with a handmade item that performs the same job. Your collection will take time, but it’s the fun part.’
Utsuwa — Japanese objects for everyday use is a beautiful book to pour over and be transported to Japan; each page filled with images or words that cherish the handmade. With each artisan’s story, it reminds us to look at the world around us and notice our peers and their crafts. It’s a reminder to look closer at the beauty in life and bring a little slice into the everyday.
Utsuwa — Japanese objects for everyday use by Kylie Johnson and Tiffany Johnson, published by Thames & Hudson, RRP $59.99. Available where all good books are sold and online.