Cutting-edge 3-D printing technology is changing the dynamics of Japanese ceramics as designers merge the traditional craft with a digital framework in pursuit of aesthetic refinement — and drastically reduce the time needed to create their artwork by ditching the potter's wheel.
Yuichi Yanai and Tatsuya Uemachi, both graduates of the Kanazawa College of Art, in Ishikawa Prefecture, are the masterminds of Secca Inc., a design outfit aiming to break the mold in culinary creativity by replicating ceramic ware with their leading-edge technology.
The company's digitally produced ceramics won high praise when their wares were showcased at a catering event in Cannes, France, that was hosted by a group of Japanese restaurants and sake breweries from Ishikawa last December.