Image Credit Stephen Heaton

Born 1974, Yokohama, Japan
Living and working in North Wales

Junko Mori is a Japanese artist based in Wales. Working primarily in metalwork sculpture, Mori’s works are aggregate pieces usually connected thematically and visually to her observations of living matter, particularly plants. Her choice of metal varies widely from silver to mild steel, as does the size and scale of her works, which range from smaller tabletop pieces to largescale sculptures.

Her distinctive style is one of contrasts and blending, drawing on her metalworking and sculptural education in both Japan and the UK, as well as constantly blurring the boundaries between fine art and craft. She has been described as "one of the most innovative and exciting Japanese metal artists working today," and has exhibited widely internationally throughout the past several decades. Her work can be found in public and private collections around the world, including the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Honolulu Museum of Art.

Represented by
Adrian Sassoon Gallery, London

Artist CV

“I am always drawn to the visual impact of an aggregate assembled with many small components: I find infinite possibilities of the form multiplied by the vital power beyond the physical space, such as cell division through the microscope.
No piece is individually planned but becomes fully formed within the making and thinking process. Repeating little accidents, like the mutation of cells, the final accumulation of units emerges within the process of evolution. The uncontrollable beauty is the core of my concept.”
Junko Mori

In the Studio

Junko Mori’s eyes and brain are constantly on the lookout for inspiration. She collect plants, tools and images alongside developing drawings which all become reference points for future projects. Daily research and exploration form the foundation of her creative process. She immerses herself in various methods and sources of inspiration, constantly seeking new ideas and techniques

Mori dedicates entire days to experimenting in the studio with metal, developing new shapes or solving complicated designs. Her works consist of multiples of individually forged steel or other metals, and the subtle difference of each piece results from hand hammering.

She rarely has a preconceived design before assembling the hundreds or thousands of components. Instead, Mori builds up a sculpture piece by piece, even repeating little accidents like a mutation within cells. As the work grows in front of her, she feels she’s helping it to emerge, rather than creating it. This approach allows her to push the boundaries of her craft. Uncontrollable beauty is the core concept of Mori’s work.