Suemi Chiba

Artist: Suemi Chiba

Exhibition Title: A Curation of Place  

Artist Statement: Suemi Chiba creates wheel thrown objects exploring forms and surfaces by combining glazes and surface decoration techniques. Her inspiration comes from nature and is a reflection of the cultures she grew up and lives in; Japanese, English, Canadian and Australian.

She wants her work to represent a time when objects were valued and held personal connections. She hopes to encourage meaningful relationships between people and objects, connections with landscapes, and to explore ideas of identity and belonging while honouring traditional craftwork.

Ceramic materials create a natural connection with place, as materials from the earth are used to create the work. In this body of work, Suemi found herself wanting to replicate things she sees around her. While perhaps ordinary, these things orient us in nature and are innately related to where we are in the world.

Being an adventurer and someone who spends a lot of time outside, she is drawn to rocks and geographic forms. She often uses pictures on her work to connect with place. In this work, she focused more on form. She also looked to materials she could find and gather to add to her pieces.

Materials tell a story. Glazes are made from rocks, minerals and plant matter. Clay and glaze materials are found all over the world and connect us to a larger story, while colours and types of materials can be so specific that they can only be found here. These materials connect us to a very specific time and place.

Along with materials, Suemi has also explored different ceramic techniques, each with their own history and traditions. While creating and exploring different methods, she considers how bits of those histories, and all the makers using those traditions, become wound up in the work and express a connection between people around the world.

She hopes that her pieces remind viewers of places in their own story and perhaps spark a connection to a specific time, place or memory that helps them remember they belong and are connected.

The Watch House Gallery, Macquarie Street, George Town

Opening Event: Saturday, 9th May 2026 at 11:00am

Exhibition Start: Monday, 11 May 2026
Exhibition End: Sunday, 21 June 2026 

Opening Hours
Monday: 10:00am - 3:00pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:00am - 3:00pm
Thursday: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Friday: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Sunday + Public Holidays: Closed