Fish c. late 20th century

This is a small, unfired clay fish, made by Sugimoto Tatsuo. It’s kind of incredible to consider this object as a series of decisions, each touch and push of the clay contributing to the whole. The surface is earthy and unrefined. The clay is thick, almost chunky, and it looks like the marks were made with simple tools, maybe just the artist’s fingers. The fins are like little raised welts, and the scales are these curved incisions that add texture and shadow. What’s lovely is how the materiality of the clay and its subtle imperfections really bring the object to life. When I look at this piece, I’m reminded of the sculptures of another Japanese artist, Ruth Asawa. Although they worked with different materials, both artists share a common thread, a focus on repetition, texture and materiality. Ultimately it feels like this is not just a sculpture of a fish, it's a record of an action, a thought made manifest in clay.