DARUMA SERIES

Daruma is a traditional talisman of good luck, commitment, and good fortune.

These are very popular gifts of encouragement in Japan.

Darumas are typically depicted in bright red with bold facial hair, but during the Edo period a symbol of women’s resilience emerged in the form of Hime Daruma.

Hime, meaning princess, redefines this traditional figure in a feminine way to prove that strength and spiritual value was not bound to masculinity.

Momoko’s recent work explores her Asian fem identity and its parallels to glass.

Pink, purple, and aventurine (copper crystal) glass are some of her favorite colors to use. These gold bearing and rare colors subvert the perceived value of these rotund glass figures and their soft tones.

The original dolls are rooted in the Zen tradition of Buddhism, and are hollow made out of paper. Traditionally one eye is colored in when setting the intention and the second eye is colored in when the goal or enlightenment is achieved.

Typically completed Darumas are then burned in a ceremonial fire at a temple during the turn of a new year. However, these sculptures are made of glass and born from fire. These Dramas are sculpted out of an archival crystalline material. These pieces can carry an intention for a whole lifetime, and even throughout many generations.

Kabocha, which means pumpkin, brings a contemporary form to Daruma and pays homage to the queen of pop art. What most people don’t know is that glass pumpkins are a highly contentious topic amongst the glass community.

The smaller previous Darumas’ faces were sculpted solely with dollops of hot glass. To achieve the larger Darumas the face was created on a separate form, brought down to room temperature, cut and carved into a mask, then heated back up to be assembled onto the final form. The Mask Technique was developed uniquely for this series of work.

Copper Pond Daruma is the first in the Daruma Series to be completely translucent as well as the first of its kind to merge with the Lotus Series. When viewed in person the piece undulates as the viewer walks around revealing the ripples and optical variations.

Copper can have a wide range of colors, and in this case Copper Blue was used to depict the depth and the serenity of the Lotus Series. Across many cultures copper is a powerful symbol of protection. It is also a metal that has a wide range of uses in our day to day life such as conducting energy, contraception, and water pipelines. Copper is also a soft and warmer tone metal in its raw form.

Public Kabocharuma was created during a glassblowing demonstration at Public Glass. Historically the glass community in the San Francisco Bay Area made hosting events in the glass studio part of the culture. This tradition inspired studios across the country to also showcase artists in action.

As the finale of the performance glassblowers in the crowd were invited to jump in and add their mark with a black polka dot. Bringing everyone on stage was a way of highlighting the community and showcasing them to the audience. Hundreds of people in the crowd roared with each transformation and addition to the piece.