Studio Minko is a collaborative studio exploring the intersection between function and expression. Through in-depth material experimentation and conceptual studies, the creative duo challenge the idea that art is just for walls and pedestals by creating whimsical objects for the home. Their objects create a joyful and humorous environment through their unexpected use of color and texture.
Studio Minko was started by Jasmine Gutbrod (b.1997, USA) and Nikako Kanamoto (b. 1998, Japan) as students attending Rhode Island School of Design in 2016. With backgrounds in furniture design and ceramics, their interdisciplinary partnership adopts a process that draws equally from research and fabrication. Their unique skill sets develop playful and sophisticated pieces that bring color and play to any context.
100% Ceramic, Please Wash and Dry
This series breaks the inherent boundaries of ceramic sculpture by inviting direct interaction and framing the material within a recognizable form used by the human body. The texture of these pieces draws from 1970’s shag carpets and natural lichens, resulting in surprising detail and texture which questions the place of material within a domestic environment. Free to handle, shedding may occur.
