Ayako Aratani
born in Chiba, Japan
Lives and works in Detroit, USA
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work embraces organic irregularities that are found in handmade beauty and warmth. Focusing on brass brazing and upholstery sewing, I explore design possibilities to push the boundaries of what furniture can be.
Being from Japan, I have a deep appreciation for the natural world and the importance of balance, harmony, and imperfection. Living and working in Detroit has also been a major influence on my work, exposing me to a diverse range of perspectives and ideas, while also nurturing my knowledge and curiosity about materials and fabrication processes.
I believe that functional objects don’t only serve a purpose but also evoke metaphor and storytelling. I aim to create pieces bringing a sense of art into everyday life.
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 degree in 3-Dimensional Design at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Following her graduation in 2016, she established her studio practice in Pontiac, MI, where she has been creating domestic objects for clients, including the Salon Gallery in Boston and Wasserman Projects Gallery in Detroit.
In addition to her work as an artist, Aratani is also an educator, currently serving as an adjunct professor at the College for Creative Studies. Her expertise and contributions to the field of design have been widely recognized, and she has received numerous prestigious awards, including the iF Design Award, UNESCO Design City World Wide Things Collection, MUJI International Design Award Bronze prize, Good Design Award, and Saku City 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, the group exhibition Never Normal at Wasserman Project Gallery, and selected group exhibitions at Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as well as the Architectural Design Digest Show in NYC, Salone Satellite in Milan, Collective Design in NYC, and the Interior Design Show in Toronto.
CONTACT
C/O Studio Aratani Fay
40 W Howard St, Suite 328, Pontiac, MI 48342, USA
EDUCATION
2016
Cranbrook Academy of Art Bloomfield Hills, MI USA
Master of Fine Arts in 3D Design
2007
Chiba University Chiba, Japan
Bachelor of Engineering in Product Design
EXHIBITIONS
Duo Exhibition
2019 Lawless - Aratani Fay at Salon Gallery, Boston, MA
Group Exhibition
2023 Stop Making Sence Plus One at Janice Charach Gallery, Bloomfield Hills, USA
2022 Stop Making Sence at College for Creative Studies, Detroit, USA
2021 Cranbrook Chair Show at Studio Jack Craig, Detroit, USA
2020 Never Normal at Wasserman Project Gallery, Detroit, USA
2019 Edge Walkers at Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art, Harrisonburg, USA
2018 The Blue Room at The Fisher Mansion, Detroit, USA
2013 Journey Exhibition at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
2011 Lonmiladonno at HAC Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2010 Interior Lifestyle at Seibu Mall, Tokyo, Japan
2009 Zero Exhibition at Ark Hills, Tokyo, Japan
2006 Tokyo Designers Week at Jingu Gaien, Tokyo, Japan
Award Exhibition
2019 UNESCO WWTC in Graz, Austria
2014 Library Chair Award at Saku city library, Nagano, Japan
2014 Good Design Award ar Tokyo Midtown, Tokyo, Japan
2014 MUJI Award in Japan, Canada, Taiwan, China
2013 Good Design Award at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Kids Design Award in Kobe, Fukui, Japan
2010 Good Design Award at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
Tradeshow
2023 ICFF+WantedDesign Manhattan, Javits Convention Center, NYC USA
2018 ADD Show at Piers 92 & 94, NYC USA
2017 Studio North Interior Design Show at MTTC, Toronto, Canada
2017 Salone Satellite at Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy
2017 American Design Club at ICFF, NYC USA
2016 After Dark at Detroit Design Festival Eastern Market Detroit, MI USA
2016 Collective Design at Skylight Clarkson Square, NYC USA
2014 IFFT at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
2013 IFFT at Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
PRIZES AND AWARDS
2019 UNESCO Design City World Wide Things Collection for Click-Clock
2017 Designlines Magazine 1 of 100 Editor's Choice for Click-Clock
2015 IF Design Award for L- table by Okamura
2014 Good Design Award for L- table by Okamura
2014 MUJI International Design Competition Bronze for O-Sketch
2014 Saku City Design Award Gold for Library Chair
2014 Good Design Award for Ruschello by Okamura
2013 Good Design Award for Omnes by Okamura
2012 Kids Design Award for Stella by Okamura
2009 Good Design Award for Scholar Light Desk by Okamura
2009 Eco-friendly Design Award for Scholar Light Desk by Okamura
2005 Iwaizumi Natural Wood Design Award for Kizuna bench
GRANTS
2015 Florence M. Burt Scholarship
2015 Union Foundation For Ergo-design Culture
2015 Nomura Foundation
TEACHING
Sep 2021 - present
College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI USA
Adjunct Professor
Feb 2020
Laurence Technology University Southfield, MI USA
Guest Instructor
Feb 2019 - Apr 2020
College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI USA
Guest Critic
May 2016
Wayne State University Detroit, MI USA
Guest Critic