Toku Art -Contemporary Japanese Ceramics & Applied Arts

by Kawakami Tomoko (川上智子 1957- )
1. Moku07-1（黙 Silence) 800,000 yen 59cm×64cm×h53cm
2. Moku06　 (黙 Silence） 500,000 yen 27cm×27cm×h63.5cm

Female ceramic artists in Japan often do not receive the attention they deserve. Obstacles often obstruct their path to success -a male-dominated and overly-conservative heierarchy within ceramic circles is but one yet massive hurdle that they must overcome.

In the 53 years that the Japan Ceramic Society has given out awards for their very own "Most Important Ceramic Artist of the Year" awards, only 7 have received the prize (please note that many years feature more than 1 award winner, thus the actual percentage of total award winners is a measely 8% or so..).

Do such inequalities reflect any sort of statement about female artists in Japan? It is hard to say, esp. as there is a wealth of very talented and world-famous female ceramic artists working in Japan today. Rather, it can be said that contemporary Japanese ceramics is entering a renaissance in terms of the emerging prominence and talent of female artists.

One such artist who receives far less recognition for her work than that which she deserves is Kawakami Tomoko (川上智子 1957- ). She has an uncanny ability to form gigantic yet ultra-thin and meditative pieces which resemble the state of serenity itself -perhaps such is why she calls her works Moku (黙), or Silence.

Notice in all her works the infinite power within their inner wells of black. Into the void and into darkness, Kawakami's work pulls the viewer into its center of gravity, freezing both time and space yet melting the heart.

Notice further the razor sharp edges of her works' mouths. Delicately chic, such subtle qualities should not pass unnoticed.

Winning the Grand Prize at the Faenza International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic Art in 2005 finally helped spread her name to foreign skies, yet I still find that she is hugely under-recognized, esp. when considering the quality of her conceptual ceramics.

We hope you enjoy these images of new works by Kawakami Tomoko.
For inquiries into acquiring these pieces, or for more photos or information, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited


3. Vessel for Flowers 花のうつわ　90,000 yen 19cm×25cm×ｈ23cm

　
(More images of new Tsujimura works available online at the link below)

Welcome to the Online Exhibition of Tsujimura Yui (辻村唯 1975- ), the eldest son of Tsujimura Shiro (辻村史郎 1947- ) and a spirited young ceramic artist in his own right, who is fast garnering critical acclaim from both collectors and pundits alike in both Japan and abroad.

Toku Art is proud to introduce the latest works of Tsujimura Yui to our clients around the world. Available works can be viewed in the link below.

(Our link has been removed, but if interested in viewing what the works looked like, please contact us. We'll be happy to send images!)

Yui's works themselves are incarnations of the beauty of nature. Their forms, devoid of all sense of vulgar audacity or petty conceit, were formed through extreme speed and skill on a potter's wheel. It is as if each turn of the wheel peels away and reveals the gentle and humble soul of the artist himself.

The majestic wealth of natural glazing on Yui's works were borne from intense fires stoked in the artist's small anagama underground chamber kiln, taking up to 30 hours to fire at a time. Many times have I seen artists overfiring their works, thus leaving burnt and scarred pieces without any sense of gracefulness. Yui's natural glazes, however, are full of dignity and the elusive aesthetic of the sublime, calling to mind the simple yet beautiful austerity found in the traditional Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi.

I've followed Yui's career since his debut, and I must say that his firings have never been better. In fact, they are some of the best natural firings I've seen in a long time.

Notice, for example, his glassy green ash combined with his signature milky blue ash -neither Yui's father Shiro or his brother Kai can achieve these colors on their ceramic works. And further notice the increasing propensity of silver ash on his latest works, which are a result of extreme reduction. Silver ash, thus, is the most recent addition to Yui's ever-expanding color scheme.

Please also note the following.

1) Prices include individual wooden box (tomobako) for
authentication/storage.
2) Boxes usually take up to 3 weeks to be ordered and
signed by the artist.
3) Prices do not include shipping/insurance.
4) Sales tax is exempted for overseas purchases.
5) We accept all major credit cards + bank transfers.

For inquiries or orders, please email the following address.
info@toku-art.com

For more on the artist, please see our back catalogue or view his entire profile here.

Yui's acclaim as a contemporary ceramicist of the first order continues to rise in Japan, wherein the most recent issue of the venerable Honoho Geijutsu (2007 #72) calls Yui "one of the best young artists of his generation."

Toku Art agrees, and we proudly bring you his work, from eastern skies.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Tsujimura Kai (辻村塊 1976- ) is the second son of legendary Tsujimura Shiro (辻村史郎 1947- ) and the younger brother of Tsujimura Yui (辻村唯 1975- ).

Whereas Yui treads new horizons with his highly original naturally-glazed works, Kai is following in the footsteps of his father's ceramic style, in particular continuing the traditions of Shiro's Iga, Shigaraki, and Kohiki wares.

Today I had the pleasure of seeing Kai's latest works at the Ippodo Gallery in Shinagawa, and I was blown away by the sheer power of his firings, which were, in my opinion, possibly better than his father's recent firings.

Yet what truly struck me was that his forms have also further matured, and have greatly evolved from the days when they mirrored the works of his father. Original forms such as his double-attached vases and shouldered jars glazed in myriad displays of ash glaze and red fire color, and were for lack of a better work, excellent. Unfortunately I couldn't take photos, but I'll be surely shooting work once I visit Kai in the next few months.

(As an aside, the works displayed were much better than the works chosen for the postcard....)

Toku Art will feature works by Kai in the near future. In the meantime, we hope that you visit Ippodo and support the work of a talented young artist.

Furthermore, we hope you enjoy the latest works of Kai's elder brother Yui, who will be having a private exhibition at Toku Art from next Monday (19th). For a link to a special preview, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

Below, some more images of a brilliantly fired hachi bowl by Tsujimura Yui.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Tsujimura Yui (辻村唯 1975- ), eldest son of the charismatic Tsujimura Shiro (辻村史郎 1947- ), has some of the best forms and firings of his generation.

Toku Art will be proudly offering approximately 30 of Yui's works from his latest firing from November 19th, for private viewing only.

If you are interested in receiving a private link to an online preview of Yui's most recent collection, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

Furthermore, Yui's talented younger brother Tsujimura Kai (辻村塊 1976- ) will be having an exhibition at Tokyo's Ippodo Gallery from November 15th. Kai's latest exhibition will mainly feature the aesthetics of Iga and Shigaraki-style tsubo (jars/vases). Highly recommended.

Apart from Tsujimura-related news, Mihara Ken (三原研 1958- )　will be having a new exhibition at Aso Bijutsu in Ginza.

We look forward to your continued support of Japan's leading ceramic artists.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(images courtesy of Bizen Aoyama Gallery)

Abe Anjin (安部安人 1938- ) is a Bizen artist that I have great respect for. His distinctive firings, overflowing with gold goma ashes, are spectacular, and his rich clay flavor is divine. His forms are not merely copies of Momoyama Bizen, but are made with a stunning contemporary feel and exceptional balance. All in all, his works contain a wealth of characteristics that can be truly hailed to be the best in contemporary Bizen.

However, for decades the artist has been ostracized and labeled an outcast in Bizen, and often times unfairly frowned down upon by the typically conservative (and rather jealous) Bizen society and critics/galleries. This is quite unfortunate. For more on his controversial theories into the origins of Bizen, please read my interview with the artist here.

Recently, Abe has delved into territories far more sacrilegious, as can be seen in the two photos of the red mizusashi water jar with the rainbow-colored lid. To put it simply, Abe has begun to paint his Bizen clay with myriad displays of differently-colored overglaze enamels.

These two images were taken as an advertisement for the artist's latest exhibition at Bizen Aoyama Gallery. When I was flipping through the pages of the latest Honoho Geijutsu, the image simply bursted out from the pages. What beautiful photos!

I am sure that Abe will not solve or lessen the onslaught from critics after this series of works. However, I find it not only brave but thrilling to observe how Abe has proposed new questions towards the pristine sanctity of Bizen clay.

There are more than 500 potters in Bizen today, and the majority of them are, albeit in risk of sounding snobbish, not very good. Imagine, then, how much of the precious and rare resource that is the clay of Bizen is consumed by less-than-average works.

In such a light, Abe takes a jab at the establishment by glazing pure Bizen surfaces with a combination of artificial enamel glazes and natural ash glazes, creating a unique Bizen flair that some may criticize as destroying the natural clay flavor or ultimate beauty of Bizen. But one must also remember that Abe uses Yamatsuchi mountain clay, which is in abundance compared to the popular Tatsuchi rice-paddy clay propounded by the likes of legendaries Kaneshige Toyo and Yamamoto Toshu. One may find, then, that he has far more legitimacy to experiment than others... or does he?

Abe's controversial enamel Bizen calls to mind Bizen ware's late-Edo period, where works were often glazed with white slip. In effect, it covered and hid the beauty of the clay, and thus triggered the Dark Age of Bizen (and ultimately rescued by Kaneshige Toyo's efforts). Yet at the same time, I also see parallels between colored Bizen with that of Kuro (Black) Bizen, a far-more common technique in contemporary Bizen (sometimes called Imbe ware) wherein the Bizen clay is colored a deep black through covering it in iron-rich liquid clay. Is this not the same effect as Abe's enamel color schemes?

In any case, it is without question that Bizen has been prized by pottery fans for its rugged and naturalistic austerity, and many may attest to the fact that it does not need to be electrified through rainbow-ish technicolor.

But then again, Abe's genius, I find, is his ability to mesh the two qualities of overglaze and natural glaze together into a coherent whole. The firing of this piece is immense and dynamic. And the colorful patterns, I find, only accentuate the firing and elevate the piece into something special.

In any case, I find that we all have our aesthetic preferences, and that is only natural. However, the tendency to spring so quickly to criticism is often times premature (or even immature), and does not help one to "see a world in a grain of sand," per William Blake.



In any case, I've posted two older (and excellent) mizusashi fresh water jars by Abe as comparisons. I hope you enjoy all of Abe's works in their full and splendid glory.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

In Praise of Shadows (陰影礼賛）was a highly influential text on Japanese aesthetics written by the literary giant Tanizaki Junichiro (谷崎潤一郎 1886-1965). I remember reading the book in high school for no particular reason than the fact that the title struck me somewhere between the heart.

In this book, Tanizaki laments the loss of traditional Japanese beauty, for example through the ever-quickening eradication of natural or candle light in favor of Westernized fluroescent lamps. The long-kept and gentle balance between light and shadows had thus been destroyed, an aesthetic traditionally engrained within the Japanese home.



Upon seeing metalwork artist Ito Yuji (伊藤祐嗣 1961- )'s latest exhibition at Yufuku, I was reminded of Tanizaki's lament. If the novelist were alive today, perhaps he would be pleased with what is on display, as the works are odes to Japanese lighting and fire.



"With the hope that one would feel the warmth and beauty of natural fire and light within one's home, I made these works," says Ito. His lanterns and candlestick holders are exquisite, embodying the forms, textures and reliefs of traditional Japanese aesthetics that had been a part of Japanese daily life for centuries. Yet moreover, his sake servers, equipped with candlestick holders, are perfect for heating the sake within the server, helping one to pass the cold winter nights with the warmth of both sake and candlelight. Tanizaki would surely enjoy this.





With metalworks masterfully handcrafted by one of the best metalwork artists of his generation, Ito Yuji's exhibition runs at Yufuku until the 10th of November. All inquiries can be received by Toku Art (info-toku-art.com). I've posted a few more photos below, and one can view the entire exhibition by visiting Yufuku or their webpage at http://www.yufuku.net/yufuku-gallery/main4.html. Prices and dimensions are also be listed on this link.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Kandori (no website!), located on the lobby floor of the New Otani Hotel , is one of the best ceramic art galleries in Japan, in particular because it aggressively promotes and supports contemporary artists who pursue imaginative new ways to challenge the medium of ceramics.

Kato Tsubusa (加藤委 1962- ), a ceramic artist born and bred in the ceramic traditions of Mino, is one such potter promoted by Kandori. He's an up-and-coming artist who has achieved fame for his porcelain pieces, in particular for his wonderful glazing that drapes his white porcelain in a sea of blue.

For his most recent exhibition, currently being held at Kandori from Oct. 28th to Nov. 4th, Kato has created massive slabs of porcelain slapped together to form dynamic, abstract objects.

Unfortunately Kato wasn't at the exhibition, so I couldn't get photos. However the first photo is the cover piece for his DM, and was indeed the best piece at the show. Notice how he forms triangular slabs of clay and attaches them together to achieve a vase-like form.

The dynamism works for this piece in particular, yet for some of his other larger pieces (some 1m tall), he tries much too hard to achieve movement through excessive ripples, rivets and slabs of clay, often times calling to mind the wings of the statue of Nike at the Louvre.

Thus in a sense, what is ultimately lost is the pristine beauty of his porcelain surfaces and glazing.

(photo from Honoho Geijutsu no. 92)

I prefer his simple yet elegant works, such as the works shown in this second photo. I find that conceptual ceramics do not need to be "difficult" in order to attain a certain prominence or stature. Take, for example, the beauty of the porcelain works of Nagae Shigekazu （長江重和 1953-）



or Fukami Sueharu （深見陶治 1947- ).


Perhaps Kato was attempting to bring out in porcelain the qualities of strength and masculinity, characteristics that are often attributed to stoneware.

This may be so, yet in this regard, Kato's new works pale in comparison to the conceptual porcelain of Nishida Jun (1977-2005).


In any event, I regret not having more photos of Kato's new works for comparison. Yet all in all, I find Kato's non-functional works to be greatly compelling, and will only mature and blossom further.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

One of the best young ceramic artists working in Japan today is Tsujimura Yui (辻村唯 1975- ). He's having his 3rd exhibition of the year at Osaka's Umeda Hankyu department store starting from Oct. 24 to the 30, and if there's anyone in the Kansai region who's reading this blog, I highly recommend visiting Yui and seeing his latest firings. Both his forms and his firings represent some of the best that contemporary Japanese ceramics has to offer the world.

Further, please check Toku Art's official website, www.toku-art.com, for newly updated artist profiles and other bits of information/images regarding our artists.

As an aside, please find below two images of works made by Tsujimura Shiro (辻村史郎 1947- ), Yui's father.
His chawan teabowls are probably the best in Japan, and this Ido teabowl helps prove my point. Amazing.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

The purity of white is obvious, self-explicit, almost redundant.
Upon seeing the utterly pristine and gentle porcelain of talented Korean ceramic artist Yi Yoonshin (李倫信 1958- ), the notion of purity first and foremost struck my mind.

Might not this sensation be the same as my ancestors when they first gazed upon the hakuji (白磁) porcelain of Korea? The naturalness in form, the snowy glaze, the notion of a serene state of mind materialized into clay. With a fine eye for formation, cultivated through her life in Korea and her studies at the Kyoto University of Fine Arts and Music, brought forth the many elements that make porcelain great. She connects us to the natural state of beauty that first attracted the Japanese to the beauty created by the unknown craftsmen of Korea during the 15th and 16th centuries.






Yufuku Gallery proudly presents Yi's Japan debut exhibition, to be held from the 18th (Thur) to the 27 (Sat) of October. If you get a chance, please drop by, or take a look at the entire exhibit on Yufuku's homepage, which lists dimensions and prices.



For this exhibition, Yi has devoted her energies to abstract and sculptural medium to large-sized works that create atmosphere within a landscape or room, utilizing tatara boards or spinning on a potter's wheel, of which you can probably sense from the photos that she excels in this regard.

Yi is one of the most famous ceramic artists in her home of Korea, as she comprises a dynamic ceramic duo with her husband, who himself is one of the most acclaimed creators of ceramic installation art in Korea. Fans of Yi include Issey Miyake, for example, who is actually an avid collector of ceramics. We look forward to seeing Mr. Miyake during this exhibition.

I might also mention that her more-traditional works are excellent as well, esp. her small porcelain teacups. For inquiries on the artist or a particular work, please contact us at info@toku-art.com. We're very proud to be able to introduce such a critically acclaimed artist to the world, from eastern skies, to you.



Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Yagi Kazuo (八木一夫 1918-1979)
Hekitai (Wall of Bodies 1963)
Photo from Yagi Kazuo Retrospective, Nikkei Shimbun)

Yagi Kazuo may very well have been the most influential ceramic artist in the 20th century. Of course, there were many giants. But I think of him as the Duchamp of Japanese ceramics, tearing down the boundaries between the superficial categories of craft and art, and heightening the public consciousness toward avant-garde and non-functional ceramics.

For those of you who would like to know more about Yagi, please read a former article I wrote on the Sodeisha movement.

I adore much of his work, and the style of work shown here is one particular highlight for me. What sort of crazed man would think of making thousands of clay figurines and mesh them together into a wall? I have a slight hunch that one of the leading contemporary artists in Japan today, Aida Makoto (会田誠 1965-), was influenced to paint "Blender" (as seen in the Aida link, it may be too explicit for some so beware) upon seeing Yagi's work. It brings together the Japanese taste for the grotesque intertwined with humour, a trait that thoroughly lives on in today's contemporary manga, as well as the art from the late-Edo Period.

In any case, I've featured Yagi here today to slightly pick up from last week's entry on Arakawa and Tokuro.

Many of us would put our chips in with one or the other. It's interesting to find that Yagi would place his chips on Arakawa. Yagi was a big fan of Momoyama Shino and knew what he was talking about. Yet regarding Tokuro's Shino, the words "extremely vulgar" were all he could muster. Hmm.

Which doen't necessarily mean Yagi favored Arakawa, saying that "well, at leaset he's better than Tokuro."

I sort of get a kick from reading these small anecdotes on famous potters criticizing one another. I'm sure rivalries were quite intense back in the day.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited



By the way, Nakamura Takuo (1945- ) is an excellent artist from Kanazawa who's having an exhibition at Ginza's Wako until this Wednesday (17th). Sorry for the sudden notice, but it's worth a visit.

"Vessels that have stopped being vessels" is Nakamura's theme, and I have to admit, that's a tantalizing title.

His works are just as great, which continue to feature Nakamura's trademark zogan motif, coupled with the new realm of non-functionality. Yo-no-bi (beauty from functionality)? It's been thrown out the door, and this time around, well what a throw!

(A rare photo of the two artists together, left Arakawa, right Tokuro)

The two giants of 20th century Shino were unquestionably Kato Tokuro (加藤唐九郎 1897-1985) and Arakawa Toyozo (荒川豊蔵1894-1985).

Like night and day, they were polar opposites.


Apollo (亜幌 Apollo 1969)
by Kato Tokuro
Named after the space shuttle. Notice the strength in his iron brushstroke. Extremely powerful, extremely assertive.

Tokuro was the flamboyant, boisterous and often-arrogrant artist who captured the hearts of a nation through his scandolous rendition of the Einin Tsubo (a topic I promise to write about in a future blog). But he was brilliant, nonetheless, and his charismatic artistry, along with the other outspoken genius Kitaoji Rosanjin (北大路魯山人 1883- 1959) heightened the Japanese consciousness towards pottery as one of the leading artforms that the country had to offer the world.


Choyo (朝陽 Rising Sun 1969)
by Arakawa Toyozo
Notice the natural beauty of his firing. The hi-iro reddish fire color, the milky pink glaze, the crackling.

Arakawa, on the other hand, was the soft-spoken artist who never pushed for fame or glory. His mentality was more akin to a master craftsman, and his humility as well as his art attracted Rosanjin -so much, in fact, that Rosanjin basically picked up his entire Shino technique from Arakawa, and Arakawa even made works for the Rosanjin kiln. Eventually, it would be Arakawa who would receive the designation of Living National Treasure for Shino wares in 1955.

Tokuro (often fondly referred to by his first name) and Arakawa (often referred to with his last name, a stark example of the sort of persona they both embodied) were bitter rivals. Yet the common thread that brought them together was their insatiable passion in pursuit of beautiful Shino.

More than any other Mino style (the others being Setoguro, Oribe and Kiseto), Momoyama Shino was their driving inspirational force. As young artists, they searched the hills of Mino and Seto for old kiln sites and pottery shards, trying to unlock the mysteries of medieval Shino. How were they made? What was their origin? Even today, much of the mystique of Shino ware lies in the lack of information regarding this artform.

Shino was the first white pottery to be born indigenously from Japan. It is one of the prime styles of Momoyama tea ceramics, and is one of two teabowls presently designated as National Treasures that can truly be smacked with the label "made in Japan."

Below, please admire the Japanese National Treasure Unohanagaki（卯花墻, Momoyama Period).



It perfectly embodies the aesthetic grandeur of Momoyama tea ceramics.

What Tokuro and Arakawa perservered to create was the capturing of Momoyama aesthetics, not as carbon copies, but as interpretations of the very essence of the period. The beautiful feldspar glazing, the perfect form, the excellent firing, the elegant iron paintings, the exceptional clay flavor, the brilliant fire color, were reborn through the work of Tokuro and Arakawa, and they spearheaded a Neo-Classical revival in post-war Japanese ceramics, with similar revivals also beginning in the works of Kaneshige Toyo (Bizen), Miwa Kyusetsu (Hagi) and Nakazato Taroemon (Karatsu), among others.

I've written about these two before, namely in a review of a commemorative exhibition in 2005 marking the 20th year since their deaths. The article can be found below.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/arakawa-kato-PT-2004.html

I'd like to take this opportunity to post photos of some of their standout Shino, not to contrast their works against one another (the differences are so obvious that explanations aren't needed), but to contrast them with the present state of Shino ware.

Unfortunately, there are very few potters today who make Shino of a calibre that would make Arakawa and Tokuro fuming mad with envy.

For example, Suzuki Osamu （鈴木蔵 1934- ) is a Living National Treasure for Shino ware. Yet I've never been moved by his works. His Shino, I find, is a bit too dry and calculated.
(See photo below)



Of course, there are a few contemporary artists whose Shino I really enjoy.

To name four: Kagami Shukai (各務周海 1941- ) often commonly remembered for his Kiseto but his Shino is just as memorable and should be more recognized), Hori Ichiro (堀一郎　1952-) whose works can be purchased on my good friend Robert Yellin's retail site), Okuiso Taigaku (奥磯太覚 1965- son of skilled 奥磯栄麓 1930-1987)) and Higuchi Masayuki (樋口雅之　1967- my wife picked his Shino guinomi as a Christmas present for me two years ago... I was touched).

I've taken the liberty of scanning a few photos from the Arakawa/Tokuro exhibition catalogue, and please find them here below. I always find that good works should be remembered and praised, and it is with hope for even better Shino to be borne in the future that I post these works from the past herein today.

In praise of Arakawa and Tokuro, please behold their sublime tea bowls.



Hyobai (氷梅 Ice Plum Blossoms 1970)
by Arakawa Toyozo
Excellent iron underglaze painting coupled with crackling kairagi (梅花皮), a glaze characteristic which was Arakawa's trademark.




Tsurara (氷柱 Icicle 1930)
by Kato Tokuro
Work made when Tokuro was 32. Nezumi (bluish gray) Shino should strive for the elegance found in this piece.



Satogaeri (里帰 The Return Home 1942)
by Arakawa Toyozo
Deep red glazing, notice the dark red clay at the foot ring, rich with iron which helped bring out the bold colors.



Murasakinioi (紫匂 Scent of Lavender 1979)
by Kato Tokuro
A historic piece, adding a new color of Shino not found in Momoyama. A distinctly original aesthetic of the brilliant Tokuro, it can be said that this piece marked the apex of the Neo-Classical Revival of post-war Japanese ceramics.



Shino Hashinoe Chawan (志野橋の絵茶碗 Shino Teabowl with Bridge Motif 1953)
by Arakawa Toyozo
Inspired by the Sumiyoshi-de style of Momoyama Shino which features tetsue iron glazing painting of a bridge and the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, Arakawa removed the Shrine but added a full moon on the back of this tea bowl.



Kumonomine (雲峯 On Top of the Clouds 1971)
by Kato Tokuro
What draws me to this tea bowl is its balance in form, its double kodai foot ring, and most of all, its abstract tetsue iron painting on its front facade. It is symbolic of Tokuro's artistry that did not dwell on Momoyama aesthetics.



Zuien (随縁 Following Destiny 1961)
by Arakawa Toyozo
The bamboo shoots that are drawn on the facade are inspired by the tea bowl Tamagawa, made in the Momoyama Period.



Akane Shino Chawan (茜志野茶碗 Crimson Shino Tea Bowl 1985)
by Kato Tokuro
The last work Tokuro made before his death, notice the vivid crimson of the bowl. Like his purple Shino, Tokuro pursued new styles of Shino even weeks before his passing. It fully represents his strength and imagination as an artist.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

p.s. I've finally begun updating Toku Art's official website. We'll be posting there more frequently, so please stay tuned.

p.p.s. My apologies for the poor quality of the photos this time. They look better either as thumbnails or by expanding them to their full size. I hope, at the very least, that you can get a glimpse of the depth in each work!

The 54th Nihon Dento Kogeiten (Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition) kicked off its annual celebration at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi from the 18th of September, and like many years, the exhibition brings to itself much hype yet few inspirational works. In particular, the ceramics presented here are, quite often, highly unmemorable.

As a polar opposite of the Nitten, which typically advocates more progressive works, the Dento Kogeiten is the mecca for orthodox art.

Which, however, is not always the case. As many may know, there were days when the legendary Kamoda Shoji and Kakurezaki Ryuichi dazzled visitors with their imaginative works.

Of course, it can be said that what was exceptional about these artists was their emphasis on the contemporary and new, while at the same time, revering past traditions. In essence, they had their feet in two aesthetic realms, and perhaps this was a reason for their success.

To make a long story short, there are not many works that excite me at this exhibition. However, there was one piece that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it was this red lacquer plate with handle by Osanai Yozo (which also received the Grand Prize of the Exhibition).

Osanai, a lacquer artist working in Tokyo, was said to have been inspired by the death of his mother when making this piece. I was suprised to see a lacquer artist create such a seductively luscious piece through the technique of kanshitsu, or dried lacquer painting, and it was a happy discovery indeed. I did not know of this artist before, but surely, I will be looking for his works in the future.



Among ceramic works, I enjoyed this Gosu Plate by Fukushima Hiroko. A self-taught artist working in Yokohama, what makes this work interesting is that she uses three different shades of Gosu (cobalt overglaze) to bring rhythm to the piece, instead of simply painting the motifs like sometsuke (cobalt underglaze). Along with its slight curvature, such characteristics make for an intriguing work from a relatively unknown artist.

Like Osanai's lacquer, there are many artists in Japan who make great art, yet are often times questionably ignored or eschewed in the art world.

Of course, this situation exists in any art scene. But isn't it much more interesting to go and find what is beautiful with one's own aesthetic instincts, rather than dwelling on fame or fancy titles?

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Karatsu Guinomi, named Mushiba (虫歯 Tooth-Ache)
Late Momoyama Period

Behold, the most famous Karatsu-style guinomi that exists today. It is not exaggeration to claim that this piece may be the best sake cup in all of Japan.

What draws me to this work is its absolute and utter innocence, at once infallible, at once impalpable. It calls to mind the summer evenings of youth, of catching fireflies in grandfather's garden, of basking in moonlight, as fragile as spring snow.

Mushiba, or Tooth-Ache, was owned and named by none other than Aoyama Jiro (青山二郎 1901-1979).

Aoyama was one of the leading art collectors of modern Japan. His eye for beauty was unsurpassed, and disciples such as Shirasu Masako (白州正子 1910-1998) flocked to his side for advice and guidance, along with famed novelists such as Kobayashi Hideo and Nakahara Chuya.

Like Yanagi Soetsu (柳宗悦 1889-1961), he would make for a seachange in how the Japanese perceived beauty. What is beauty? Was it found in the works of an unknown craftsman, as Yanagi proposed in his Mingei Movement?

Aoyama's aesthetic vision did not bother with categorizations of beauty. Whether the works were of Chinese, Korean, Japanese or "Mingei" origin hardly mattered. What he sought was "beauty within beauty."



Which brings us to this particular guinomi. It is simply glazed, without any trace of tetsue iron glaze brushstrokes that often characterize exceptional Karatsu. Yet notice the slight curve on its body. It reminded Aoyama of a swollen cheek that pains from a rotten tooth, thus the name Mushiba, or Tooth-Ache.

This swollen asymmetry is what brings a burst of youthful innocence to an otherwise "jimi" or austere piece. But also notice the beautiful crackling of its glaze, along with the unglazed streak called hima (火間) in its inner well. And the exceptional glazing gives birth to a fresh moistness upon its skin surface -a characteristic found in many great works from the Momoyama Period.

Mushiba's beauty is also the ideal manifestation of patina, a recently re-popularized concept of beauty derived from long-term use and old age.

Deliberate and intentional beauty is merely artificial, and one easily bores of such pretention. What ceramicists should strive to achieve is the aesthetic of natural beauty, devoid of intent, trickery or ego. In other words, they should study the great works of the past, much like Mushiba, in order to create works that may define the future.

I am strongly attracted to such art and their artists, and look forward to supporting both for years to come.

I hope you enjoy the Tooth-Ache as much as I do.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(The 4th Yamada Jozan)

Tokoname, as many of you may know, is one of the Six Old Kilns (六古窯 Rokkoyo) of Japan, as somewhat haphazardly categorized by the late Koyama Fujio (小山富士夫 1900-1975) a long, long time ago (the 50's, I believe).

It continues to be a center for pottery, yet unfortunately, only two great ceramicists have emerged from the region in the past half-century to capture the hearts of both fan and critic on a national level.

One such artist is Ezaki Issei (江崎一生 1918-1992), who revived the lost techniques of the ancient kiln site and brought forth pottery of such grace that even the legendary Kamoda Shoji (加守田章二 1933-1983) was enraptured.

The other artist was Yamada Jozan III（三代目山田常山 1924-2006), who was the undisputed master of kyusu (tea pots for brewing sencha green tea) in all of Japan. He was designated a Living National Treasure in 1998 for his exceptional art, which fully embodied the term Yo-no-bi（用の美）, or beauty derived from functionality. In essence, he propelled this utilitarian vessel into art.

The same can be said for the new Jozan, Yamada Jozan IV (四代目山田常山 formerly Emu 旧名絵夢 1954-), who has assumed his father's title in 2006 after his passing.

The new Jozan brings much of his father's aesthetics to his own works, creating a vast array of Tokoname red clay kyusu and yakishime (high-fired ash-glazed) works that are unquestionably a family heritage.



Yet whereas in his father's works could be seen a strength of character, Jozan IV builds on this strength with a sense of playful delicateness that exemplifies the artist's gentle nature.

Many may not know that a teapot is an incredibly difficult utensil to make, requiring an immaculate sense of balance and precision. Jozan IV has it all.

If any of you enjoy Japanese tea (or even Western styles, for that matter) and do not yet possess a proper teapot, I highly recommend Jozan's work for not only their artistry, but for their exceptional functionality.

The kyusu are incredibly light, easy to hold, and will not only make tea taste better, but will be a pleasure to own and use. You will simply not find a finer teapot outside of Japan.

Also of note are his plates and platters, which are fantastic for fine cuisine.

A quality exhibition of Jozan IV's new works are on display at Tokyo's Yufuku Gallery starting from Sept. 13th - 22nd. This is the first time that Jozan will be exhibiting to an international audience under his new name. Please find individual photos of all exhibited pieces here.

Please also find photos of some of the work still available below. For enquiries on a particular piece, please contact me at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(Tsujimura Yui 辻村唯)

I've always been strongly attracted to innovation, to originality, to going one's own way. Must be my blood type (i.e. the Japanese love to determine a person's character based on their blood type... of course, no scientific underpinnings whatsoever).

Perhaps this mentality is what draws me closer to Nara's Tsujimura Yui （辻村唯 b. 1975, eldest son of legendary potter Tsujimura Shiro 辻村史郎 b. 1947-).

　
(Photos taken at Yui's "Gendai Kogei Yuu" 2005 exhibition)

Yui inherits his father's skill at the potter's wheel, wielding the tool like a tornado, zipping through piece after piece with extremely delicate yet nimble hands. His lightly-thrown pieces carry a formative elegance that only the best can bring out.

Yet his yakishime (high-fired stoneware) take forms that are quite unlike his father, let alone, any potter working today. They are forms that call to mind the air of the ancients, of the dawning of Japanese ceramics, of, quite simply, ancient Sueki wares of the 5th century. The rugged and austere natural-ness to his works help soothe the soul, and Yui's original forms and exceptional firings easily makes him one of the top young Japanese ceramicists of his generation.


(Yui's DIY house, built with the help of his brother Kai 辻村塊 b. 1976, also a skilled potter, and Yui's tiny DIY anagama kiln)

I had the pleasure of visiting Yui-san in the heat of mid-August, and please find below photos of the experience. Like his father Shiro (who treated me, my wife, and my wife's parents to a hearty lunch of grilled pork and fresh mountain vegetables), Yui can be described as "being one with nature." In other words, the mountain that he lives on is synonymous with his pottery. They are both fragments of nature.


(Pottery shards pile up next to Yui's kiln.


(Newly fired works are often left to bask in both sun and rain)


(Excellent plate and other works... A Tsujimura house is like a treasure hunt)


(Works waiting to be fired, and a sea of freshly fired works for his next exhibition in Osaka Hankyu this October)


(New yet-to-be announced work that just simply amazed me for its massive, marshmallow-esque softness and strength)

Yui is currently focused on honing his techniques in regards to his current Sueki style, but possible clues to his next direction can be found in his "experiments" esp. in regards to Ido-like glazes and hikidashiguro "pulled out black" techniques. Please keep an eye out for this young artist, who I believe has the potential to lead the world of Japanese ceramics for years to come.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Past Tsujimura Yui Review (English)
Past Tsujimura Yui Interview (Japanese)

For enquiries into obtaining a Tsujimura work, please write us at info@toku-art.com.

Asahi.com, the internet version of Japan's supposedly liberal daily, just released an interesting article on 2008's Tokyo Collection Spring/Summer.

Asahi.com focuses on up-and-coming brand Matohu, which has always placed emphasis on incorporating traditional Japanese tastes into Western style clothing.

This time, Asahi says the designers of Matohu has focused on, of all things, the Shino tea bowl (see below).

(the famous national treasure Uno-hana-gaki)

As we pottery fans are well aware of, some key characteristics of good Shino are warm, soft, almost creamy white/pink feldspar glazing intertwined with red firecolor from the yohen kiln firing, strength within its curves and asymmetry, along with a delicate tetsu-e iron painting, among others.

Matohu designers Horihata Hiroyuki and Sekiguchi Maki went to great lengths to bring such traits and textures of Shino into their new collection.

(photo by Ohara Hirokazu)

The article explains that it took the artists a full year to recreate the textures and beauty of a Shino teabowl into their fabric, particularly in bringing out "both the gentleness and the strength of Shino, along with its wavy distortions". Can you see the resemblence?

All in all, it is wonderful to observe young Japanese designers striving for new forms of beauty by tapping their rich heritage, in particular the beauty of Keicho era (1596-1615) art.

They also seem to have made some designs using Oribe as well. Refreshing, indeed!

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Without question, the colloborative tour de force that is artists Suzuki Mutsumi (鈴木睦美 b. 1942 -) and wife Misako have pushed the boundaries of the ancient art of lacquer to new heights.



Mutsumi is undoubtedly the master producer who has challenged the conventions that have shackled lacquerware, especially in regards to form. With razor-thin wood cores, Mutsumi imaginatively transformed lacquer pieces into sleek silhoulettes, attracting a legion of fans the world over. His wife, at the same time, has coloured her husband's works with dazzling displays of makie gold and silver paintings that add further layers of harmony to the otherwise subtle yet sublime beauty of Mutsumi's vessel work.



Many might remember that the Suzuki's exhibition was our first for Toku Art in April. If you didn't have a chance to check out the exhibition then, please try and visit Yufuku Gallery's latest exhibition featuring their work, to be held from Sept. 1st to Sept. 7th (every day).

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Easily, one can catch the beauty of their work in these photos. Yet the works should be seen first-hand in order to truly appreciate their worth. Holding a work may change your life. Such is the depth in Suzuki's art. We hope to see you at Yufuku from tomorrow.

With best regards,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(Tsunanari no Katachi -works currently on display at Yufuku Gallery)

Seto extraordinaire Nagae Shigekazu (長江重和 1953-) is one of the leading porcelain artists working in Japan today. He is a master of both clay casting and firing techniques, and has really pushed the boundaries of both realms through his relentless pursuit of innovation.

He is a quiet artist, who would much rather be working with clay than going on verbose tangents and pithy explanations upon his works.

Today, however, we are proud to present a short commentary by Nagae regarding his new clay series, entitled "Tsunanari no Katachi 列なりのかたち (Forms in Succession)." This series is the first debut of new works since Nagae's 1995 exhibition "Sogu Katachi 削ぐかたち (Shorn Forms)."

Nagae is still struggling, in a sense, to master his new creation, esp. as it requires extreme skill and precision to create the clay casts, as well as to fire without cracking the piece. We know, however, that his works will only get better with time, and we look forward to its fruition.

In the meantime, some words from Nagae himself regarding Tsunanari no Katachi.

"This new series is comprised of various shapes, whether they be triangular, rectangular or hexagonal, that are assorted as sets, then hung within a kiln and fired accordingly. Through kiln firing, the various curves and surfaces coalesce and unite in succession, thereby creating changing forms. Such is my intent.

Glaze is applied to each connecting part before firing. Then the pieces are suspended in mid-air within the kiln. As the glaze melts through the kiln fires, it crystalizes into glass. Thus what is left are "ceramic forms in succession.'"

And so, please enjoy a glimpse of the future.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Firstly, my apologies for not updating this blog sooner. I was preoccupied with two projects; one, the English documentary of Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun (Bizen), produced by Pola Museum and Nikkei Visual, and two, a book by Kodansha on famed Japanese sculptor Sumikawa Kiichi.



Isezaki is well known not only for his creative skill, but for his ability to teach. He has taught the greatest number of artists in all of Bizen, in particular the stunning Kakurezaki Ryuichi. I believe it is Jun's adroitness at passing on the techniques of the anagama (subterranean single-chamber wood kiln), and not only his masterful play of politics, which has elevated him to a "retainer" of an Important Intangible Cultural Property for Bizen wares.

The documentary is excellent in its production/visuals, and I highly recommend it for anyone who may be interested in Japanese ceramics. Great depth and focus were instilled in this project, some highlights being kiln firing, the demonstration by Isezaki himself on making his trademark square vases, and the demonstration of the hikidashiguro technique by Isezaki's son Koichiro.

Sumikawa is perhaps the most famous contemporary Japanese sculptor working today, without counting the likes of Murakami Takashi, Tanada Koji or Nara Yoshitomo. Well, let's put it this way. Sumikawa taught Murakami and Tanada during their time at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (the prestigous, or should I say infamous, Geidai), as Sumikawa was not only professor but President of the university for quite some time.



He is distinguished for integrating the aesthetics of Brancusi-esque Abstract Sculpture,large scale public works, and traditional Japanese forms (sori upward curve and mukuri downward curve) into a coherent whole, and has been awarded a dizzying amount of awards. His commemorative book is well anticipated, and should be a fun read.

Thus these two projects, as well as a book on tea artist Richard Milgrim, were more than enough to make my wedding (held last July) a blurry memory.

I look forward to bringing you more updates, esp. in regards to new works by Seto artist Nagae Shigekazu, my time spent last week with Tsujimura Yui, Suzuki Mutsumi (who will be having a Yufuku exhibition beginning Sept. 1st), and Yamada Jozan IV (formerly known as Yamada Emu).

With many thanks from heat-drenched Tokyo,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Thank you to all who visited our Ichino Masahiko exhibition.
The works were fabulous, and all of us were very happy with the results.

With the end of the show, Toku Art will be closed until July 30th. My wedding is on the 15th, and I hope to spend some time with friends and family. I look forward to bringing you more updates as soon as I return. Thanks for your support!

With much gratitude,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited