Hiroshi Suzuki was born in Miyagi, Japan in 1961 and studied at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, before moving to England in 1993, where he gained a BA in Silversmithing & Metalwork from Camberwell College of Art and an MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery from the Royal College of Art. Suzuki's art, known for its delicate yet dynamic surfaces, involves intuitively hammering silver into fluid, organic forms without preliminary models. His vessels, deeply inspired by nature, feature energetic, wave-like patterns, showcasing his unique and spontaneous approach to silversmithing.
Silversmith, Hiroshi Suzuki was born in Miyagi, Japan in 1961. His family had a strong background in craftsmanship, as his father was a goldsmith and his grandfather, a potter and calligrapher. This heritage laid the foundation for his future working with fine materials. Following his MA in Industrial, Interior & Craft Design at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Suzuki was uncertain about his future direction. In 1993 he travelled to England, initially without a firm plan, aiming to learn English and visit museums. He subsequently enrolled in a BA in Silversmithing & Metalwork at Camberwell College of Art (1994–97) followed by an MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery from the Royal College of Art, London (1997–99). It was during his MA that he realised his true passion for working with silver, shifting his focus from copper, which had been his primary interest. This transition was influenced by Danish silversmith Allan Scharff, who encouraged Suzuki to explore silver as his medium. In 1999 Suzuki was awarded the gold medal at the Chongju International Craft Competition in Korea, selected from 1047 submissions from 13 countries.
Suzuki's delicate, thin surfaces are achieved through his use of fine silver, a material known for its softness and malleability compared to other types of the metal, such as Britannia and sterling silver. His process involves shaping sheets of silver into vessels, using his extensive collection of hammers to add texture and movement, infusing his pieces with life. Contrasting with conventional techniques that emphasise precision and measurements, Suzuki's unique approach is more spontaneous. Moving away from traditional methods involving preliminary drawings or models, he engages directly and intuitively with his material, allowing his creations to evolve organically. This practice reconnects Suzuki to his family tradition in ceramics and pottery, as ‘ceramicists work by feel, as I do’ (Spence 2018). He describes his method as risky but liberating, adding that ‘Once I sense something creative, there is no way of resisting the urge to express it in silver. It is always an adventure to work the material directly from the beginning. It allows me to be very creative. I call this method 'thinking through making' or 'sensing through creating’’ (Hancocks).
Suzuki draws deep inspiration from nature, expressing a fascination with the ever-changing forms found in the natural world, such as the transitions between seasons. His ethereal and yet vigorous creations often feature the presence of wave-like patterns, rivulets, and ripples. These give his works a sense of motion, as if capturing the dynamic essence of water in a frozen, yet living, form. Some pieces are enamelled in translucent mottled shades of greens and blues. His works showcase a deeply personal and sensitive engagement with the material, evident in the flowing, organic shapes and forms he creates, such as the vases Venus B (1999, V&A collection) and Aqua Poesy VI (2004, Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collection). These exemplify Suzuki's revolutionary approach to silver, merging his groundbreaking and sensual handling of the material with his pioneering method of hammering and raising vessels. Unlike traditional techniques that involve beating metal over a wood or iron stake, Suzuki uniquely hammers in air, raising the metal without any supports. He characterises the process as highly physical, but never chaotic, declaring that he feels as ‘a force of nature’ (Jenkins 2009). This technique results in a remarkable fluidity of form, evoking ‘waves under a moonlit sky’ (Spence 2018). In Aqua Poesy VI one can see this in the way the vase seems to ripple gracefully, akin to silk in a breeze, while Venus-B is reminiscent of feminine forms.
Suzuki first showcased his work in Japan during the 1990s. His inaugural UK exhibition, Stasis in Motion, was held in 2003 at the Lesley Craze Gallery, London. He subsequently had solo shows at The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh in 2004 and 2007. A major retrospective, Silver Waves, took place at The Goldsmiths Company in 2010, later touring to Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. Among the show's highlights was the remarkable Aqua-Poesy XI Kin, a 22-carat gold hammer-raised and chased vase. Recent group exhibitions include Japanese Contemporary Design, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh (2022); A Japanese Design, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh; The Silversmith’s Art – Made in Britain Today, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, organised by The Goldsmiths’ Company (2015). In 2005, Suzuki was short-listed for the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize: Metal (UK), and in 2009 he won the Schoonhoven Silver Award (The Netherlands). He was appointed as successor to his former professor of Metalwork and Jewellery at Musashino Art University, and divides his time between studios in Tokyo and London. In the UK public domain, Hiroshi Suzuki’s work is represented in major collections, including the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham; Royal College of Art, London; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; and National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Hiroshi Suzuki]
Publications related to [Hiroshi Suzuki] in the Ben Uri Library