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Spike-Covered Vessels by Ikuko Iwamoto Imitate the Irregular Shapes of Microorganisms

London-based artist Ikuko Iwamoto gathers inspiration for her spike-covered vessels from microscopic sources, imitating the shape of the nearly invisible microorganisms that inhabit our bodies. To create the objects, Iwamoto first slip casts the body of the bowl. Next she drills dozens of holes into the surface of the vessel and fills them with double-ended clay spikes secured with slip. Their extreme texture comes from her interest in providing a physical investigation to her audience in addition to their visual presentation. In 2018 the artist initiated a project to create 100 vases over the next four years, approximately two a month. You can watch a demonstration of how she creates her ceramic bowls on YouTube, and purchase your own via her Etsy shop.