Erotic Kitsch of Urara Tsuchiya

Background

(b. 1979, Japan) Urara Tsuchiya grew up on the outskirts of Tokyo. In 1999, she moved to London and now divides her time between Glasgow and London. Before going to Scotland, she studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths and then completed a master’s at Glasgow College of Art. London-based photographer Ben Toms photographed Tsuchiya and her work for the book titled “Urara Tsuchiya”.

Fig 1.

Fig 2. photo credit Ben Toms

Fig 3. photo credit Ben Toms

Fig 4. Piggy’s Dream 2022

Foreground

Tsuchiya’s creative work spans across a wide range. This includes ceramics, installations, costume, performance, and video. She uses these different mediums to subvert ordinary objects and challenge societal norms. Her work is often humorous. Tsuchiya’s fame stems from her Japanese-inspired handpainted ceramics. These pieces display explicit motifs and bridge the gap between the surreal and the mundane.

Tsuchiya has discovered sources of inspiration in unexpected places, ranging from a nude sauna to hotel rooms. She designs immersive environments that are deliberately outrageous. Tsuchiya seeks to expand the limits of comfort by incorporating narratives from personal conversations, as well as from films or TV shows.

Besides her artistic endeavors, she enjoys experimenting with home cooking, infusing her creations with flavors that evoke a sense of comfort. These objects serve as tools to create a unique setting where unusual behaviors can occur. Tsuchiya prioritizes concept over authentic self-expression. She considers the medium to be of secondary importance.

Tsuchiya prefers performative works, but working with ceramics brings her a sense of stability. Ceramics demand strict adherence to each stage of the process, leaving minimal space for impulsive decisions. She finds satisfaction in producing artworks that demand a significant amount of time and effort. With this commitment, her expectation is that it will make you laugh.

Fig 5. World Doesn't Revolve Around You 2023

Fig 6. 2016

Fig 7. 2016

In the Premium version of the article you can discover more on Tsuchiya's thoughts on her sexual fantasies, the humor, themes and aesthetics in her work, the influence of the German playwright Bertolt Brecht, how she tests unsettling topics and more examples of her erotic kitsch.

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