Ceramicist Noe Kuremoto’s engagement with ancient female fertility symbols originated during a personal crisis in her London studio. Confronted with an ultimatum from her husband to start a family or end their relationship, Kuremoto found herself sketching dogū figures—clay fertility figurines from Japan’s Jōmon era (10,000 BC–300 BC) known for their emphasized breasts and bellies. This moment marked a shift in her artistic focus toward themes of motherhood.
Motherhood has rarely been explicitly explored in design but has been a recurring subject in contemporary art. The Hayward Gallery’s recent touring exhibition, *Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood*, exemplified this trend by presenting works that scrutinize the complexities of childbirth and parenting. These included Lea Cetera’s womb-shaped hourglass titled “You Can’t Have It All” (2022), symbolizing the passage of time and fertility, as well as Caroline Walker’s paintings emphasizing childcare workers, and Camille Henrot’s sculptures that convey the solitude of breastfeeding.
Kuremoto’s journey into exploring motherhood in her art came after she relocated from Osaka to London in the 1990s to study at Central Saint Martins. Influenced initially by the Western narrative of the independent female artist popularized by figures like Tracey Emin and Marina Abramović, she built a successful ceramics career centered on international art fairs. Motherhood, however, introduced significant personal and professional changes. After returning to work only two weeks following the birth of her first son in 2019, she struggled with openly acknowledging her new role. The birth of her second child and her mother’s arrival from Japan helped her embrace motherhood and reshape her artistic narrative.
Her recent work consists of vessels inspired by Jōmon-era rituals reinterpreted with contemporary sensibilities. These pieces, some slated for display at PAD London in October, are intended as symbols of solidarity for women grappling with fears and identity shifts associated with motherhood. Kuremoto describes the post-birth period as a struggle for identity rather than childbirth itself, reflecting broader issues faced by women after becoming mothers.
Dublin-based sculptor Niamh Barry, who also exhibits at PAD London, offers another perspective on motherhood’s influence. Though she does not explicitly connect her gender to the themes of her work, the birth of her two daughters has deeply influenced her professional discipline. Barry emphasizes the gradual evolution of her art, likening the meticulous, time-intensive process of metalworking to the steady, sustained effort required in raising children.
Similarly, ceramicist Hitomi Hosono draws parallels between the patience necessary for porcelain work and mothering. Her piece “A Large Zenmai and Nazuna Open Bowl” (2026), part botanical homage and part personal reflection, was inspired by her mother’s foraging practices in Japan and reflects her experience raising a daughter. The bowl features delicate, carved plant motifs and embodies both a connection to childhood memories and the attentiveness inspired by her child’s fragile nature.
Currently a mother of four, Kuremoto notes the profound impact motherhood has had on the quantity of time available for her art, though her career continues to evolve at a different pace. Both she and Barry acknowledge motherhood as a long-term, life-encompassing commitment that transforms but does not halt creative endeavor.