The artist is known for his genre-defining high-pressure slip-casting techniques. Fukami’s works are first realised by creating a 3-tiered plaster mould of considerable size and weight. Porcelain slip is poured into this mould using a pressurised air compressor to ensure that the porcelain clay is proportionately condensed without air pockets or impurities. Once the mould is removed, the work is dried completely. Fukami then uses an ultra-sharp Tungaloy alloy blade and sandpaper to sharpen and hone the form into the work he envisions. After bisque-firing in an electric kiln, the work is sprayed with seihakuji (celadon) glaze, and then reduction-fired in a gas kiln for approximately 30 hours. Tenku (Heaven), the Fukami work to be exhibited at TEFAF 2025, is extremely rare in that not only has it been created in the early 2000’s, it has not been made by the artist’s signature slip-casting, but has been carved from a block of porcelain.

From artist's studio