Manami Aoki - Japan
Manami Aoki
Designer biography:
Manami Aoki (b. 1995, Japan) is a contemporary jewelry artist. She graduated from the Art Jewelry Department of Tokyo Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry in 2018. Since then, she has been working independently, exhibiting her work both in Japan and internationally. Since 2026, she has also been a part-time lecturer at Tokyo Hiko Mizuno College of Jewelry. In 2025, she received the Grand Award at Romanian Jewelry Week.
Collection concept:
I focus on revealing the potential of materials. By respecting each material’s unique properties, I seek to create works that communicate without words. Through this process, I discovered a new side of wood. Instead of cutting or carving, I hammer wood to loosen its internal fibers so they can actually be combed, revealing an unexpected side of wood. In Japan, combing another person’s hair is a gesture of affection. The Japanese title of this series can be translated as Wood That Can Be Combed. These works challenge the conventional image of wood as a hard material.
