Marina Van Raay’s ceramic work celebrates innocence, wonder, and imagination through playful forms and richly layered decoration. Rooted in nostalgia and cultural memory, her practice reflects on childhood experiences and her Japanese-Canadian upbringing. Inspired by the vibrant maximalism of 2000s Harajuku culture, Marina embraces play as both process and aesthetic, exploring excessive adornment, layering, and the fusion of styles through the use of charms, chains, and bold surface treatments. With a background in both wheel throwing and handbuilding, Marina explores memory, identity, and innocence through clay, creating expressive pieces that celebrate the emotional weight of childhood wonder and aesthetic freedom.

September 2025