Latex met legend on the World of WearableArt (WoW) stage this year as Tsukumogami – an intricate re-imagining of two centuries-old blue ceramic vases imbued with live spirit – took home the 2025 Supreme Award.
For creators Dawn Mostow and Ben Gould, receiving WOW’s highest accolade marks the culmination of years of collaboration, experimentation, and shared imagination. The United States-based duo have long been fixtures within WoW’s creative landscape, with Mostow achieving eight finalist entries since 2017 — five of them alongside Gould — collecting multiple awards along the way. But Tsukumogami marks their first Supreme title, a milestone they describe as “gobsmacking” and deeply meaningful.
Rooted in Japanese mythology, Tsukumogami draws on the folklore of objects that acquire spirits after a century of use. Inspired by Japan’s yokai legends — and particularly shonzui blue ceramics — Mostow and Gould’s latex sculptures reimagine these vessels as living beings, alive with memory, movement, and emotion.
“These useful objects are ubiquitous in everyday life, and so often neglected or misused,” says Mostow. “When we zeroed-in on the vases, we found a way to marry the melancholy neglect with aesthetic beauty, and created these characters to embody the full potential of the tsukumogami myth.”
The WOW judging panel praised Tsukumogami as “radically innovative and future forward, while at the same time paying exquisite homage to centuries-old artistic and cultural traditions. A work that captivates the eye and refuses to let it go.”
Crafted under their label Dawnamatrix, the duo’s mastery of latex allows for an otherworldly precision: the material clings like a second skin yet gleams like porcelain. Every curve and contour of Tsukumogami is intentional — laser-cut, appliquéd, and aligned to mimic the flawless symmetry of painted pottery. Beneath the high-shine surface, tiny perforations hidden within the masks allow models to see and breathe, maintaining the illusion that these are not humans in costume, but enchanted vases come to life.
“The patterns and swirling compositions found in shonzui pottery naturally bring tremendous movement to the static objects,” explain the duo. “Ultimately, we restrained many wild ideas, in favor that the beauty of the models’ form and these traditional-style artworks could be appreciated fully on stage.”
To ensure cultural accuracy, the pair consulted Japanese friends and cultural experts throughout the design process to ensure accuracy and sensitivity — confirming that the tsukumogami story is folkloric rather than sacred, and that their depiction serves as a respectful homage.
Reflecting on the response to Tsukumogami, the pair hope audiences take away more than admiration for its visual impact. “We hope that viewers can appreciate the cultural history of tsukumogami, yokai, and the manner in which these folktales have become interwoven into modern life. Allowing ourselves to wonder about the secret life of objects, their histories, and what stories they would tell if they could speak.”
With its meticulous execution and poetic storytelling, Tsukumogami is a standout example of how the World of WearableArt continues to champion creativity that pushes the boundaries of design and imagination.
“World of WearableArt is a continuous source of inspiration, and a conversation that we constantly return to throughout the year,” says Mostow and Gould. “We love sharing an imaginative space, and we will always find new reasons to visit that place together.”
