Interview with Momokamei
Yoko Kakuchi, a former independent Jewelry designer, started her private jewelry brand “MOMOKAMEI” in 2014 after she gave birth to twin girls Momoka and Mei.
Designer Interview
25 April 2017
After studying material engineering for my degree, my inclination to focus on Art has become stronger as I’ve always loved Art since I was a child. So I explored art history in UK and started to study Graphic design while I was in US, followed by learning time-honored jewelry making techniques from a Japanese goldsmith before switching to CAD.
MOMOKAMEI is a jewelry brand, owned by oraculart, a company that my husband and I started. I am in charge of designing and making Jewelries.
Solution, Communication, (Self-) definition
I’d like to create works that are unique and truthful to my mind.
The memorial pendant for my daughters, which is composed of the Alphabets of their names.
3D CAD is my platform technology that I frequently use. By blending the digital technologies with my knowledge of time-honored jewelry making techniques, I think I can assimilate digital figure into something unique.
I feel passion when I design. It is very energy and time-consuming process and I also feel pain sometimes. But at the end of the day, I often realize how content the moment was when I focus on designing.
To me, designers are someone who can help people to notice various beauties of the world.
My last exhibition was held in February 2017. I’ll have another one in this July.
My family strongly inspires my works. My twin daughters are four years old and their drawings attract me a lot as their works contain something unique and fundamental. On top of this, I get strong inspirations from my daily surroundings and try to assimilate into my jewelry by adding different angles.
I intend to make my pieces by weaving daily feelings into something tangible with some personal tastes.
I grew up in Japan and currently live in Tokyo. My works are product of transforming daily things into something unique in nature. In a sense, my works reflect Japanese culture to some extent but also they contain something universal that fit in our digitized and globalized world.
I make very rough sketch first but also add many imitative words on it and it is indispensable part of my work. It’s like a roadmap that I always carry and it will navigate me towards the exact image that I had in my mind.
Be original and truthful to my mind.
Rhinoceros 5.0
It really depends on the project. Luckily I make jewelry by using 3D CAD software, I can work anywhere as long as I have my laptop with me. In that sense, I think I've been efficient in my work.
It really depends. So sometimes it just take a few weeks and sometimes a few months.
How I usually come up with an idea of a new design.
I want to continue making jewelry as one of my lifelong works. Also my husband and I really like appreciating art very much. So our dream is to find a gallery space where we can exhibit my works and curate other works from start-up artists.
I am fully in charge of designing of MOMOKAMEI.
There are a few items under progress. Please visit my website http://momokamei.com
Please email me at info@momokamei.com