Sosei by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

A large-scale installation that showcases the beauty of traditional tile making techniques from Tajimi, Japan.

We’ve previously introduced you to Tajimi Custom Tiles, a brand based in the historic center of the Japanese ceramic tile industry, Tajimi. The company produces high-end custom tiles using age-old techniques and collaborates with renowned designers to crate innovative products. In 2022, Tajimi Custom Tiles exhibited its products for the first time outside of Japan, at Milan Design Week. Apart from objects created by Max Lamb and Kwangho Lee, the brand has also introduced a new collaboration with design duo Ronan & Erwan Buroullec. Named Sosei, the large-scale installation featured several vase-like objects that explore the beauty of simple geometric shapes. The works also showcased the special clay extrusion technique, typically used in Tajimi in tile production.

Both the crafting method and the available materials and colors provided the duo with a great source of inspiration. “Tajimi is like a candy store full of different flavors, in yellow, brown, pink… Like a firework, it explodes with delights. It gives us indescribable pleasure to play around with them,” say Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. The sculptural works feature central cylindrical bases onto which the designers attached rectangular elements in different sizes and colors. Finished with Japanese glazes, these geometric elements celebrate the refinement of Japanese ceramics. A tiled podium that stood on pillars made with the same clay extrusion technique provided support to the objects.

Curated by creative director David Glaettli, the exhibition also included Working Tile by Max Lamb and Tide by Kwangho Lee. The show was held at Gallery Assab One, a former industrial space used as a printing factory but now converted into an art gallery. Opened on June 7, the exhibition ended on June 12 2022. Photography © Tajimi Custom Tiles.