Ayako Aratani is an artist and designer whose work embraces subtlety and imperfection, reflecting the quiet dialogue between order and nature. Through geometric forms and organically formed surfaces, she creates objects that appear still yet seem to breathe within a space. Her process embraces unpredictability—using materials such as hemp paper, urushi, and layered materials—to evoke the flow of time through shifting tones and textures that emerge beyond control, inviting a sense of calm and reflection.
Ayako is interested in preserving the irregularities found in handmade beauty and warmth. Instead of relying on mass-production processes, she prefers hands-on methods as a potential path toward more sustainable modes of making.
Born and raised in Japan, Ayako holds a deep appreciation for the natural world and the values of balance, harmony, and imperfection. Living and working in Detroit—historically the heart of the American maker movement—has greatly influenced her practice, nurturing her craftsmanship and connecting her to a diverse and resilient community.
Biography
Ayako Aratani is a furniture designer and sculptor based in Detroit, born and raised in Japan. She studied product and furniture design at Chiba University before pursuing a master's in 3D Design at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Following her graduation in 2016, she established her studio practice in Pontiac, Michigan.
Her expertise and contributions to the field of design have been widely recognized, and she has received numerous awards, including the iF Design Award, UNESCO Design City Worldwide Things Collection, MUJI International Design Award Bronze prize, Good Design Award, and Saku Library Chair Design Competition Gold prize. Her work has been featured in many prominent exhibitions, including a solo show as part of the Aratani Fay duo at Salon Gallery, a retail/museum presentation at "Idea House 3" in Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis, the group exhibition "Never Normal" at Wasserman Project Gallery, as well as ICFF+WantedDesignManhattan, Architectural Design Digest Show in NYC, Salone Satellite in Milan, Collective Design in NYC, and the Interior Design Show in Toronto. Her accomplishments have been featured in renowned publications such as Dezeen, Dwell, Architectural Digest Magazine, Alive Magazine, and Azure magazine.
