Ayaka Terajima
- May 3
- 5 min read
Islands Project (IP): Thank you for joining us, Ayaka. Could you share a bit about your experience with migration?
Ayaka Terajima (AT): I’m an artist based in Munich. I moved here from Japan in 2016.
IP: What motivated your move back then?
AT: It began when my husband, Takayoshi, decided to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. At the time, we were both studying at Tokyo University of the Arts, although we majored in different subjects. I studied ceramics, and he studied metal carving. He came to Munich alone in 2012 to study with Professor Otto Künzli, and returned to Tokyo in 2014 to finish his M.F.A. He then decided to return to Munich in 2015, so I moved there with him.
IP: Did you continue to study ceramics in Munich?
AT: At first, yes. However, my focus shifted to sculpture when I studied with Professor Nicole Wermers. The learning environment in Munich was a big change for me.
IP: In what sense?
AT: In Tokyo, the education system taught us to focus on the techniques of ceramics. But in Munich, my professor asked me what I wanted to do. I didn't have an answer. It was also a new experience for me to be asked to discuss my work. In the beginning, it was difficult for me to join the discussion with my professor on the spot, but I learned how to overcome that challenge over time. I tend to form my opinions based on intuition and senses rather than logic. This experience was good training for me, teaching me to express my feelings and opinions quickly.
IP: This experience reflects the culture of "Freie Kunst," which literally translates to "free art," at German art schools.
AT: Exactly. I struggled with this change. The transition probably came when I prepared a performance for the Jahresausstellung, an annual exhibition held at the academy in the summer of 2018. The performance was also shown at Pola Museum Annex in Tokyo in 2020.
IP: What was the performance about?
AT: I named it "Clay Stage." I placed 600 kg of clay on the floor. I formed it into a circle with a diameter of around 2 meters. Throughout the performance, I stepped on the clay from the center to the edges, flattening it and leaving many footprints. The surface became rough. The clay is dense, so I had to step on it with force, almost kicking it.
IP: As a ceramic artist, you handled clay with care. You used to touch it with your hands and create shapes with it. But the performance changed your attitude toward clay by rigorously pushing it with your feet. The clay was left like this after the performance.
AT: Yes, exactly. When I was confronted with an enormous amount of clay that I had never worked with before, I had to abandon my preconceived notions about my relationship with clay. I used to think that I was the one who kneaded the clay. It was a practice centered around me. After arriving in Munich, however, I took a break from working with clay and distanced myself from it. When I had the performance, it gave me the opportunity to interact with the clay on an almost equal level. I used to think that I needed to present ceramic works beautifully and create good forms with clay. However, I was released from this self-centered aesthetic. The huge amount of clay and I faced each other as equals. I wasn't there to knead it anymore. I believe this experience still influences my work today.
IP: It's interesting that clay, an inanimate object, began to take on a different meaning in your work. Does this mean your work has shifted from crafts to contemporary art? What are your thoughts on crossing the boundary?
AT: In my opinion, the most important things for crafts are the material and the technique. Within this framework, I thought about how to express myself. The performance prompted a shift in my artistic focus towards contemporary art and sculpture making. It made me realize that a material is simply a material. If I want to express a different concept, I may need a different material and technique. This made me realize that I should focus on exploring something through a material instead of primarily pursuing the beauty of a form. I still have a sense of craftsmanship though. I believe my strength lies in my ability to combine craftsmanship and conceptualization flexibly. The former helps me process the physical aspects of making work, while the latter reflects my impulsive nature and inner self.
IP: How did your practice change after this performance? What is your focus now?
AT: I have been creating works inspired by "Jomon Doki." Jomon is the name of a prehistoric era in Japan believed to have lasted from around 14,000 BCE to 300 BCE, and "doki" literally means earthenware or pottery. In Japanese history classes, we learn about this period almost as the first thing in the nation's history. I would say the term "Jomon Doki" is familiar to most Japanese people. People can easily remember the pots from that period, which are usually characterized by a specific relief design on the surface created with ropes and other objects. However, I am not making replicas of ancient pottery.
IP: Could you elaborate a bit more?
AT: I use clay to make statues that resemble pottery from thousands of years ago. However, I press plastic containers and other everyday packaging materials onto the surface of my work to create certain shapes. Mass production interests me. These packages, produced in factories, are believed to be the most cost-efficient way for us to receive goods. However, there is a long history behind this. In prehistoric times, for example, people used ceramics to keep eggs, and now we use plastic.
IP: Do your works offer a critical view of single-use packaging?
AT: Not necessarily. I would say that I observe things through my art practice rather than convey certain messages. Another interesting thing about this series is that Jomon Doki is a well-known historical concept in Japan that doesn't require much explanation. In fact, it was trendy in Japan for a few years. I’m not sure exactly why, but exhibitions related to the Jomon period became popular. However, when I show this series of works in Germany, the sociocultural context is clearly different. People often ask me what it means. It is a totally different experience.
IP: You have a strong cultural reference to Japanese history, yet you are based in Germany, where your work has been shown locally. How do you see this dynamic?
AT: Studying in Munich changed my way of thinking. Had I stayed in Japan, perhaps my current practice wouldn't have emerged. I have lived in Munich for almost ten years, and my daughter was born here, too. After graduating in 2023, I found a studio in the city, which gave me a stable environment. My husband and I have a routine during the week to take care of our daughter and secure time for each of us to go to our studios at different times. However, practically speaking, as artists, we need to renew our visas periodically, even though our whole family is now pretty much rooted here. My practice and my life are moving forward, but I feel a lack of assurance in this regard. Currently, however, I am also working with a gallery in Munich. Interestingly, people in Europe tend to associate my work with the Maya civilization. Perhaps that is a more familiar cultural reference for them, as my work resembles ancient times and the earth. Such interactions and discoveries are always interesting to me.
For more information on Ayaka Terajima, please visit -
Instagram @ayakaterajima
The interview was conducted in 2026.
