http://toku-art.seesaa.net/ Toku Art Limited ja http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/134314201.html Chapter ThreeA Sunny Afternoon in SetoFalling like rain from darkened skies, the ferocity of the firebombing of Tokyo intensified as the pages of the calendar turned to 1945. Hasegawa Shuko, the young wife of Mayor Hasegawa’s son Torao, pr... Einin Tsubo Incident Toku Art Limited 2009-11-30T11:53:18+09:00 Chapter Three
A Sunny Afternoon in Seto

Falling like rain from darkened skies, the ferocity of the firebombing of Tokyo intensified as the pages of the calendar turned to 1945. Hasegawa Shuko, the young wife of Mayor Hasegawa’s son Torao, prayed to herself as she slept in her futon, wishing she had the warmth of her husband next to her on such snowy January nights. Their baby daughter, still 3 years old, slept softly beside Shuko.

It was in 1944 that Torao the newspaper reporter had been drafted to the war at the relatively late age of 32, and was stationed on a secret air force base in Oita Prefecture. Shuko dreamt each night that her husband would return home safely. And so he would.

Ever the good wife, the responsibility was upon Shuko’s shoulders to protect the family home in the absence of its patriarch. Yet with the bombs hitting Tokyo in sporadic tangents, even the exemplar wife could only hope and pray for the devastation to fall elsewhere. Moreover, even more worrying for Shuko was not the fate of her Meguro home or their property therein. The somber words of her father-in law rang through her ears. “Protect this tsubo with your life!”How could Shuko possibly sleep at night when her husband's father's dearest treasure was in danger of obliteration at any moment? Worrying for the safety of herself and her child was an entirely different matter.

The next morning, Shuko’s mind was made. Wrapping the Einin Tsubo in a furoshiki linen for carrying goods, she clenched the tsubo in both arms and embarked for Nagoya on the Tokaido line. Behind her, Shuko’s small child clumsily followed her mother. Train, run faster, faster, Shuko thought to herself. Each and every second she held the tsubo felt like years. But the persistent air raids had already expanded their radius to the outskirts of Tokyo, and as a result, the Tokaido line would stop repeatedly until she would reach the central city of Nagoya. From Nagoya, Shuko, the tsubo and child would transfer on the Chuo line to Shidami Village, and greeted by Mayor Hasegawa at the nearest train station, Shuko would safely carry the tsubo back to Hasegawa’s home. Proud of his son’s loyal wife, Mayor Hasegawa was all smiles. And the tsubo, safely in Shidami, finally rested in the place where it would be widely recognised by the leading ceramic experts of Japan for the first time.

January, 1946. Half a year had passed since Emperor Hirohito broadcasted his surrender on national radio to his disheartened denizens. The war had decimated Japan to smoke and rubble, and its people were beginning to slowly pick up the broken pieces to their tattered lives. Yet from such desolation would be born an association of academics, artists, collectors and dealers who would bring a glimpse of hope to one small sector of Japan: the world of ceramic art. Established on January 20th, 1946 at the Shoto, Shibuya-ku home of Tanabe Katamaru, an entrepreneur who would eventually become the president of the Toho movie studio, was the Japan Ceramics Society (JCS). Not by mere chance alone, Tanabe’s elder brother Tanabe Shichiroku, a heavyweight politician in the Seiyukai (predecessor to the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan), would be the first (and not the last) person to purchase the Einin Tsubo.

Sato Shinzo, a founding member of the JCS who would become a central figure in the selling of the Einin Tsubo, poignantly wrote in the February 1946 issue of the antique journal “Kobijutsu” on the raison d’etre of the JCS, which continues to exist today, albeit with a largely diminished presence.

“(JCS) must proceed with all its might to help foster and guide the birth of a new age in ceramics. It is without question that we must invest our energies into the research of old ceramics, but simultaneously, we must extend such energies towards the creation of a new kind of ceramics that can one day be representative of Japanese culture as a whole, and can be something that we can proclaim and present to a global audience.

Such a role, in both pre-war and post-war Japan, should have been promulgated and fulfilled by the bureaucrats associated with cultural affairs, yet unfortunately they continue to have no greater plan or vision for the future of ceramics. The melancholy that inhibits the ivory towers of the old guard, or in other words, the status-quo of the oh-so-important art-related senseis associated with the Ministry of Education, are far from being in tune with the needs of the masses. With but one step taken outside of their ivory tower, they put on the arrogant face of the powerful bureaucrat and spit out their special privileges as if it were their birthright. Not only this, the many museums that were built to house the wonders of modern civilization are simply housing such wonders in the ineffectual quagmires of eternal sleep, largely due to the inability of their directors to take risks, much like snug cats locked up in the soothing warmth of conservatories.

With its inception, the Japan Ceramics Society will attack and expunge the traditional and conservative hierarchical thought that pervades Japan, and will persevere to promote the true and greater good of the world of ceramics, and as an organisation that places a premium on research, will devote its entire energies to research, creative guidance and the promotion of ceramic art.”

Along with Tanabe Katamaru, Mitsuoka Tadanari and Sato Shinzo, several other founding directors of the JCS would become central characters to this saga of the Einin, in particular the likes of Koyama Fujio and Kato Tokuro.

Soon thereafter in May of 1946, the newly founded JCS quickly embarked on their pursuit of ceramic enlightenment by organising an inaugural expedition to research and excavate the medieval Konagaso-gama kiln in Seto. Wrote participant Mikami Tsuguo, a leading expert on Chinese ceramics and the future director of the Idemitsu Museum, in his diaries, “(The Konagaso expedition) took place not long after the war, and at that time, we Japanese in many ways had lost a sense of direction. For this reason, the researching of Seto’s old kiln sites helped us find and understand an important cultural heritage that Japanese civilisation had left behind, and this brought a sense of great pride and satisfaction to us research members. At the same time, it placed in us a sense of responsibility in communicating, loud and clear, to the Japanese citizens of the value of their cultural heritage that still remains to this day.”


(Mikami Tsuguo)

Other than Mikami, the ceramic experts who undertook lead roles in the research trip to Seto were Sato Shinzo and Koyama Fujio. Other members included the first Chairman of the JCS Board, art critic Isono Nobutake, Nezu Museum’s Mitsuoka Tadanari and Okuda Naoshige, architect Horiguchi Sutemi, Sato Shinzo’s son and the future dean of Kyoto City University of Art Sato Masahiko, and locals Kato Tokuro, archaeologist Akatsuka Mikiya, future Living National Treasure Arakawa Toyozo, Tokuro’s third son Kato Shigetaka, entrepreneur/ceramic connoisseur Honda Shizuo, and Seto potter Suzuki Seisei. Quite simply, an extraordinary group of individuals were assembled to excavate the old kilns of Seto. The majority of participants even slept under the same roof at the Zen temple Unkoji, which was adjacent to several key kiln sites. Although food was scarce, the wealthy Honda donated a bale of rice to feed the researchers during their studies. Suprisingly, access to camera film was incredibly difficult even a year after the war, and the researchers were armed only with pencil and paper, and made it their regimen to sketch each and every shard that they unearthed.

The excursion to Seto, which began on a bright Spring morning on May 11th, 1946, would ultimately end on a sunny afternoon on May 19th at the home of none other than the home of mayor Hasegawa.

Mikami’s remaining diaries illuminatingly chronicle this important excursion to Seto.


(Konagaso today, with a roof over the kiln remains)

May 11th, 21st Year of Showa (Extremely Clear Skies)
Early morning, arrived in Seto with Koyama Fujio. Stopped over at glass artist Sato Junshiro’s home. After a short rest, travelled north-west of Seto to visit Tokyo University’s Seto office director, Inui-san, and inquired about the geology of the Seto region. Borrowed a theodolite from Inui.
After returning to Seto, united with Sato Shinzo and Kato Tokuro, and Kato Tokuro enlightened us with tales of his earlier experiences in excavating old Seto kiln sites.
After preparing various materials needed for excavation, left Seto with Koyama, Sato Shinzo, glass artist Sato Junshiro, and Mikami, and after stopping over at Akazu, reached our lodgings at the Unkoji Temple.


(Image depicting the medieval kiln)

May 12th (Cloudy, Then Rain)
After preparations, all members left Unkoji at 10am, passing 20 villages until reaching the Konagaso kiln. Borrowed various tools for excavation through the kindness of Tokyo University’s Akazu office, and immediately began research soon thereafter. Kiln is an anagama tunnel kiln dug into a small hill sloping southwards. The left-hand side of the ceiling part of the inner firing chamber had completely collapsed, and its state of ruin is not good. Office chief Inui-san joined in the excavation in the morning, and told the research members of the state of the kiln during 1933 and 1934. All members helped remove the earth that had filled the right-hand side of the firing chamber, and excavation began in full. As a result, the condition of the shoehorn-shaped shelves near the kiln floor and the the pillars that separate the left and right side of the kiln near the mouth of the kiln became evident. From the left-hand side, unearthed from various shelves, saggars and stabilizing rings was found one oblong-shaped shelf featuring the kamajirushi kiln mark of the Konagaso kiln.
The dig continued even with the rain, which began to fall from 3pm. Work finished at 5pm.


(Inner Firing Chamber of Kiln)

“May 13th (Drizzle, Then Clear Skies)
Clouds hung low in the morning, and with the incessant rain, all excavation work was cancelled. After waiting for the rain to end, the members left Unkoji slightly before noon, and I headed to the Konagaso kiln with the Satos. Excavation on the inner chamber began soon after arrival, and the majority of excavation was completed by the evening. Shards of a black Old Seto tea caddy, flower vase, and Yellow Seto works were found in the lower half the right side chamber, and kiln paraphernalia such as a triangular shelf and a chunk of feldspar were discovered…. Kato Tokuro entered the locale at night, and we listened to his lecture on the general state of Seto’s old kiln ruins.

May 14th (Sunny)
With both Satos, we researched the chimney shaft of the Konagaso kiln, and the surveying of the kiln in its entirety was completed by evening.
In the afternoon, Sato Shinzo left the kiln site. Koyama together with Kato Tokuro began composite research on the ruins of old kiln sites in the Hakuzan/Akazu region. Kato stayed the night with us at Unkoji.


(Remnants of Chimney Shaft)

May 15th (Sunny)
Early morning we went to Konagaso, and with the help of Sato Shinji, we completed a geological survey in a scale of 1/1000 of the entire area surrounding the kiln. Sato Shinzo researched the “monohara” area where damaged pottery were thrown away. Koyama and Kato Tokuro continued to research the other Seto kiln sites. After work, Kato left the kiln site and did not return to Unkoji.

May 16th (Sunny)
By going south down the Akazu River flowing in front of Unkoji Temple, we discovered a small patch of irrigated land surrounded by small hills to its east and west. This area is called Kanda, and we discovered the ruins of an old kiln in the middle side of the western hill. Currently this hill is used as an underground storage by the locals, and we named the kiln Kanda Nishi (west) kiln. As research progressed we discovered that this kiln was unexpectedly important, and we expanded our research area to the best of our abilities. I worked in excavation with Koyama until day’s end, and by evening we were able to grasp a great deal about the kiln. Immediately, we made an exact survey chart of the kiln.
In the evening, chairman of the board Isono Nobutake, Professor Horiguchi Sutemi and Sato Junshiro joined us at Unkoji.


(Geological survey of Konagaso and its surroundings, all images of Konagaso taken from the site http://www.geocities.jp/shimizuke1955/2215konagaso.html)

May 17th (Sunny)
Departing from the others, alone I visited the Seto Juvenile School to research the remnants of three kilns on the Seto school property associated with Sue ware. The main kiln was very large and in a decrepit state, and I felt that further study was extremely difficult. In the afternoon, through the kindness of the School, seven juveniles helped carry earth and gravel from the larger kiln, and with their help I was able to create a survey map of the remaining kiln sections. However there were parts that were unable to be surveyed, and thus the map was far from perfect. Due to the lack of time and manpower, it is with regret that I could not complete research of the other two kilns.
On this day, the other members visited the kiln sites in the Hakuzan area, and participated in a panel discussion organised by Seto City at Unkoji. In the afternoon, Mitsuoka Tadanari and Akatsuka Mikiya joined us at Unkoji, and the research group grew far more lively.

May 18th (Rain)
Torrid rain prevented further study, and taken by the kind associates of Unkoji, we took a look at the remains of kilns found in the hills located behind Unkoji and survey the area. After returning to the temple for a short break, in the evening we entered the hill once again with Chairman Isono and tried to dig in front of the ruins. Aside from fragments of kiln tools, we could not discover any shards. Later, Cho Takisumi and Mino’s Arakawa Toyozo entered Unkoji.

May 19th (Sunny)
Today we concluded research, and left the premises. We bid farewell to several members at Seto City, and after this, we visited the homes of Hasegawa Yoshitaka and Takahashi Shigeru, who helped us study their Old Seto collections. With these final visits, the curtains on this expedition were closed.”


On that sunny afternoon at Hasegawa’s home did Mikami first witness the Einin Tsubo. Curiously, visiting Hasegawa was actually not included in the JCS schedule for the day. Yet after lunch on the 19th, one member brought up this peculiar proposition. This member was none other than Kato Tokuro.

Honda Shizuo recalled the following conversation.

“May I suggest that we visit a man called Hasegawa Yoshitaka of Shidami Village, just off of Seto. This area is a part of Yamada no Kori county, and was a stop for carrying works fired in Seto along the Tamanogawa River. Observing the area’s geography may be interesting, and what’s more, Yoshitaka-san is in possession of a flask with the inscription ‘Einin’. I believe this tsubo may possibly be the oldest existing Old Seto work to feature such an inscription.”

Surprised by the sudden prospect of coming face to face with such an important work, the JCS members looked at one another in curious amazement. How could they possibly pass this opportunity up? Of course, Koyama, Sato Shinzo and Mitsuoka, among others, had already seen the Einin Tsubo several years earlier at the Nezu Museum. But the other members had not even heard of its existence, and their curiosity was peaking.

Tokuro was in unusually good spirits on this sunny afternoon in Seto, and grinning along the way, the JCS group found their way to the home of Hasegawa. Hasegawa smiled as he greeted the famous scholars at his front gate. Inviting them inside, Hasegawa offered them tea and sweets, and after brief chatter, the mayor of Shidami brought out his prized possession.

Gasps of astonishment could be heard leaking from the mouths of the JCS members. An old Seto flask with an Einin engraving in such a fine condition! The men huddled close to the jar, which was placed in the center of the tokonoma alcove of Hasegawa’s tatami guestroom. The first Chairman of the JCS, Isono Nobutake, recalled his first meeting with the Einin.

“I was an uneducated philistine, and all I could do was gaze at the tsubo in wonder and adoration. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined at the time that the tsubo I was admiring would, several years later, become such a major dilemma that would inflict a devastating blow to the life and career of Koyama Fujio.”

When asked how Hasegawa could have possibly stumbled across such a historic find, the mayor calmly explained that he dug it up himself from a road construction site near his home. Hasegawa even took the time to walk the JCS members to the exact location of his find in Shiratori, Shidami Village.

Tokuro was literally chirping as he explained to the group the history of Old Seto flasks such as the Einin. His sunny afternoon excursion to Shidami had paid off in spades.


Autumn winds blew briskly in Tokyo, as bright yellows and reds coloured the still heavily-damaged Tokyo skyline. On October 16th of 1946, the Japan Ceramic Society organised a special meeting at the prestigious Tokyo Bijutsu Club (Toobi) to report its findings from Konagaso, with Mikami Tsuguo and Koyama Fujio as principal lecturers. A total of 150 JCS members travelled from the furthest reaches of Japan to participate in the event, hailing from such distances as Miyazaki and Sadogashima. Company president and ceramic enthusiast Fukada Yuichiro, who came from distant Yonago in Tottori Prefecture, was exuberant in his hunger to learn more about the history of Old Seto. Little did he know that his life would soon become deeply entwined with the fate of the Einin Tsubo.


(Koyama Fujio)

To coincide with the lecture, the Einin Tsubo and several other famed works of Seto were physically exhibited at the Tokyo Bijutsu Club. It was Tokuro’s role to passionately reminisce his experiences on researching Old Seto kiln sites to the JCS members, and provided in-depth commentaries on each exhibited work. He made it an irrefutable fact that each and every work exhibited by the JCS was a masterpiece of historic proportions. And so did each and every member of the JCS eagerly believe its charismatic preacher.


(Continued in Chapter 4: The Selling of the Einin)
Due in December
(Continued in Chapter 5: The Birth of an Important Cultural Property)
Due in January
(Continued in Chapter 6: In Doubt and Shadows
Due in February

(Chapters of titles subject to change)

Written by Wahei Aoyama, based on the book "Einin no Tsubo" by Matsui Kakushin
]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/133697049.html Kind greetings from Tokyo! I've finally had the time to settle down slightly from a rigorous road trip around the world. Waiting for me on my return was an eye-opening exhibition of objects for the tea ceremony by Tamba's Ichino Masahiko.... Ichino Masahiko (Tamba) Toku Art Limited 2009-11-23T16:29:10+09:00

Kind greetings from Tokyo! I've finally had the time to settle down slightly from a rigorous road trip around the world. Waiting for me on my return was an eye-opening exhibition of objects for the tea ceremony by Tamba's Ichino Masahiko.



Opening at Yufuku Gallery from last Thursday, we've had a flurry of Ichino fans flock to Minami-Aoyama to admire Ichino-san's new creations. The response has been far greater than I had expected, yet at the same time, there is no surprise in seeing his works do well at exhibitions. What's perhaps the greatest surprise is that the artist has attempted a chawan exhibition at an objet d'art-oriented gallery like Yufuku.



Perhaps this is testament to the fact that the tea bowl is in itself an object that possesses the outer appearance of a functional vessel, yet retains an inner spirituality that extends far deeper than the sheer space within a teabowl's well.



I must admit, I haven't been this happy with an Ichino exhibition in many years, and many who have taken the time to view the exhibition first-hand have expressed the same. The show runs until Saturday the 28th of November -- please do stop by if you get a chance, and if not, please simply email me for more information/images at info@toku-art.com.
You can view the show in its entirety via the link below.
http://www.yufuku.net/yufuku-gallery/main4.html

Lastly, thank you so much to all those who have extended their kind opinions and comments on my on-going Einin saga. Your words have been a source of great encouragement, and gives me the strength to persevere with the labor of writing. The next installment should be out by the end of this month, so please stay tuned! For those who've missed the stories, you can find Chapters 1 and 2 below.

Chapter 1: Prelude to a Myth
Chapter 2: Into Literature, Enter Infamy

Wishing everyone throughout the world a happy Thanksgiving,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

ps: Apologies for the delays in updating our main website! I believe a great deal of this will be accomplished in early 2010. There are many new changes taking place at Toku Art and at Yufuku, so things are going along a bit slowly.... Thank you so much for your kind understanding and support.

]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/131690378.html Chapter TwoInto Literature, Enter InfamyJanuary 7th, 1943. In just seven days, the New Year had already aged a darken gray upon the islands of the Japanese Empire. War was in the winter air, war was in the snow that fell. This snow, bleak a... Einin Tsubo Incident Toku Art Limited 2009-10-31T20:59:11+09:00 Chapter Two
Into Literature, Enter Infamy

January 7th, 1943. In just seven days, the New Year had already aged a darken gray upon the islands of the Japanese Empire. War was in the winter air, war was in the snow that fell. This snow, bleak and sombre, monotonous and monotone, fell softly but surely, piling layers upon layers of sadness immersed in an empty hope for a victory that was far too elusive to even fathom.

It was on this day, several months before the Matsudome shards were donated by Kato Tokuro to the Nezu Museum in March of 1943, that a small and erroneous article appeared in the pages of the Owari (present-day Aichi Prefecture) edition of the Chubu Nippon Shimbun (Central Japan Newspaper) which marked the first appearance of the Einin Tsubo within the watchful eyes of history. In the article it was written:

“Earthenware from the Muromachi Period
Found During Road Repair in Shidami Village

A mysterious vase was unearthed during construction and repair work on a road in Shirotori District, Shidami Village, Higashi-Kasugai County at around 10 o’clock on the morning of the 6th. Approximately 18.8cm in diameter and 27.9cm tall, it is fired with ash glaze in a style commonly associated with “Toshiro-yaki,” or ceramic jars used to store sake for Shinto rituals. On its body is vividly engraved the following three lines.

Treasure Offered in Holy Ritual to the Hakuzan Shrine
By Mizuno Yonen Masaharu, of Mikuriya in Seto, Yamadanokori County, Bishuu Province (present-day Aichi Prefecture)
Second Year of Einin (1294), Lucky Day in November

According to the appraisal of Mr Hasegawa Yoshitaka, a regional historian and mayor of Shidami Village, the ceramic work was made approximately 450~60 years ago in the Muromachi Period, and Mr Hasegawa claims it is an extremely important artefact for archaeological research.


(Mitsuoka Tadanari, Curator at the Nezu)
Image taken from "Einin no Tsubo" by Matsui Kakushin

Mt. Togoku is famous for being the origin of Owari (present-day Aichi Prefecture) civilization, and many kofun-style ancient tombs have been found in this region along with many artefacts. In Shirotori can there also be found old kofun-style tombs, yet where this particular artefact was discovered is slightly separated from such a location. However, other shards have been unearthed from this site during repairs of the local road, and as this particular vessel is especially grand, it can be said that a truly fine material for research has been excavated.

A shrine has been located in this area for centuries, and this vessel is most probably a jar to hold sake to offer to the gods. It is unclear whether the jar was fired by a member of the Mizuno clan, whose name is indicted on its façade, or if a member of the Mizuno family had commissioned its creation to a local potter and then subsequently offered to the shrine.”


The snows of war would ultimately blot out the many blatant errors made therein. For example, engraved on the tsubo are the words “2nd year of Einin,” or 1294. An elementary school child, with a bit of research, could easily deduce that the work therefore could not have been made in the Muromachi Period; rather, it should have derived from a far older period, or more specifically, the Kamakura Period. Yet such snows would also erase the immense nature of the find -- an elegantly ash-glazed vase in pristine condition which explicitly states that it was made in the Kamakura Period in a style unlike any other work found in that specific era. The general public did not seem to notice the gravity of the discovery as they were so fully immersed and interested only in the news of war.

Although Hasegawa Yoshihiko, the mayor and local historian of Shidami, had been questionably quoted as attesting to the jar as a Muromachi piece, it was without question that he understood the magnitude of the Einin Tsubo. He would tell his son Torao, a future foreign correspondent for the Mainichi Shimbun Newspaper, “This tsubo is, without a doubt, an extremely important work in the history of ceramics.”

Not only did Hasegawa believe the jar to be important, it was his.

Shortly after the article was published and before the Matsudome shards were installed within the walls of the Nezu Museum, Kato Tokuro invited two curators associated with the Nezu, the young curator Mitsuoka Tadanari and Seto archaeologist (and future principal of the Seto Ceramics Institute) Akatsuka Mikiya to Hasegawa’s home in Shidami. For the first time ever, the infamous Einin Tsubo would be witnessed by a 3rd party. In fact, Tokuro had eloquently explained to the two researchers that Hasegawa himself had unearthed an amazing ceramic artefact from a construction site, directly contradicting the newspaper article’s claim that a 3rd party had excavated the work and that Hasegawa had merely appraised it. Already, one could find that the tale of the Einin was beginning to slowly fall apart.

Mitsuoka was certainly impressed with the tsubo. “This is a rare jar indeed!” he exclaimed. Yet the young Mitsuoka would garner the same impression when he would come into contact with the Matsudome shards several months later. Akatsuka, however, was dubious, tilting his head in thought as he examined the work. At this time, Akatsuka would sketch the first image of the Einin for archaeological research, as well as sketching the images of various shards that would mysteriously be reconstructed to form another yet lesser-known relic of infamy, the Yokoku Renben-mon Flower Vase.

Several months later in early Spring, Hasegawa further invited Mori Toku-ichiro, the village archaeologist, to his home, along with 50 local teachers and historians, to confront the object of his affection. Huddled together in a small room within his rather large traditionally Japanese-style home, Mori recalls their conversation in a letter he had written, which remains today.

Hasegawa asked Mori, “Mori-san, what do you think of this tsubo?”
Mori: “This is an absolutely incredible thing; how did you find it?”
Hasegawa: “Oh, I’d dug it up at the place where they were doing road construction. There were actually two tsubo, but this one was more interesting, so I took this one.”
Mori: “This is truly magnificent, but I wonder why its owner wasn’t able to safely deliver the jar to the Hakuzan Shrine…. Of course it wasn’t easy to reach the shrine in those days. Especially considering that engraved in the jar is the month of November, the weather would prevent a safe journey from this time to December and New Year’s. Or does the month of November mean that the proprietor had passed away in the wintertime? In any event, they must have buried the set of vases together in prayer. But this is such a magnificent discovery. Are you not going to announce this find?”

Hasegawa: “I haven’t yet, but do you think you will be able to? You are far better at announcing these things than I.”
Mori: “I understand. Then I’ll bring this up with the Koko-gaku Zasshi (Journal of Archaeology), but I don’t know a thing about ceramics or the Mizuno family. And there’re too many people here today, and I wouldn’t even have the time to write down its proper dimensions. Can you do the research and send it to me?”
Hasegawa: “Of course.”

A week later, Mori received a write-up on the Einin Tsubo from Hasegawa. Yet in the letter, Hasegawa had chosen to exclude his name as the owner of the vase. Asked why, Hasegawa curiously explained to Mori that, “I haven’t paid the full amount for it yet, so it’s hard for me to say that it’s already mine. I wouldn’t want to publicise it and see its price inflate, so can you do me a favour and exclude my name from the article?” Mori didn’t think much of it, and did as he was told.

Interestingly enough, Hasegawa had mentioned the existence of two tsubos. As if predicting the future, the Einin Tsubo would indeed become a pair.

April, 1943. The cherry blossoms in the Minami-Aoyama district were in full bloom, and painted the gardens of the Nezu Museum in champagne pink. Although Hasegawa had just written a letter to Mori alluding to his lack of possession rights to the Einin Tsubo because of his inability to pay for it in full, astonishingly, Kato Tokuro would approach Mitsuoka Tadanari with the following proposition. With a wide grin as bright as the sun, Tokuro said to Mitsuoka, “Hasegawa Yoshitaka wishes to donate the Einin Tsubo to your museum.”


(Mitsuya Miyamatsu, Director of the Nezu)
Image taken from "Einin no Tsubo" by Matsui Kakushin

Mitsuoka had already been basked in the presence of the jar during his visit to Hasegawa’s home in early January, and without question, the young curator thought it was too good of an offer to pass up. Encouraged by the warmth of Spring and the scents of sakura, Mitsuoka asked Hasegawa to send the tsubo to the Nezu. And on a glorious Spring day, the Tsubo was delivered to the museum by Hasegawa, who took his leave soon thereafter.

Koyama Fujio, our unknowing protagonist, wrote excitingly in his memoirs about the jar that would skew the balance of his life forever. “I first saw the Einin Tsubo together with Okuda Seiichi, the head of the Oriental Ceramics Research Institute (and Koyama’s “sensei,” in a sense), Sato Shinzo, owner of the Mingei shop Minato-ya in Ginza (and a future key figure in the Japan Ceramics Society), and the young curator Mitsuoka.” Sato, it should be said here, would eventually play a pivotal role in brokering the sale of both Einin Tsubos (yes, there were two) to various collectors. Yet at this time, the man was innocently passionate. Wrote Koyama, “In my long career of researching old kilns, I’ve never been so excited in my life.”

Mitsuoka understood that with this donation the issue of gratuity would again arise, much like how the Nezu had thanked Tokuro with 2000 yen (or 1 million yen today). Mitsuoka thus consulted various dealers for an appraisal of the Einn Tsubo, and reported his findings to Mitsuya Miyamatsu, the director of the Nezu. Mitsuya replied, “Very well, in any event we must repay Hasegawa for his graciousness.”

Mitsuoka soon contacted Mayor Hasegawa, telling him that, “We would like to repay your kindness. Please come to the museum at your earliest convenience.” Hasegawa travelled from Aichi to the museum immediately after receiving word from Mitsuoka, and when introduced to Director Mitsuya, exclaimed, “The Matsudome shards were Tokuro’s, but the Einin Tsubo is unequivocally mine. I would like to sell the Tsubo to you for 35,000 yen (or approx. 12 million yen in today’s currency). An air of silence tinged with disbelief rang through the meeting room of the Nezu. All were completely flabbergasted. Mitsuoka had only prepared 10,000 yen as gratuity, thinking this was more than a fair price for the Tsubo.

Director Mitsuya, a former chief of the Police Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, flushed sanguine as he banged the table in front of him with the palm of his hand. “This is absurd!” he howled as he ran out the door. Mitsuoka bowed once to Hasegawa in apology, and quickly ran after his superior. “I was briefed by you that this was to be a donation! What the hell is he thinking, asking us to pay him for the work?” barked Mitsuya. “People from Owari (Aichi Prefecture) can’t be trusted. These talks are finished.” And that was that.


(Akatsuka Mikiya, Seto Researcher)
Image taken from "Einin no Tsubo" by Matsui Kakushin

Koyama was nonetheless disappointed in his Director’s anger. In his memoir, Koyama wrote reluctantly, “A deal could not be reached regarding price.” And the same went for Mitsuoka, who thought at the time that “the price was a small sum in light of our endowment, oh what a waste!”

Deflated, Hasegawa carefully packaged the tsubo in a box and a wrapping cloth, and left the museum for his son Torao’s house in O-kayama, Meguro Ward, where he placed the vase for safe keeping.

But soon thereafter, the existence of the Einin Tsubo would garner national acclaim amongst researchers when the July 1943 issue of the Koko-gaku Zasshi (Journal of Archaeology), a monthly journal published by the Japan Archaeological Society, ran an article on the Einin Tsubo within its “News” column. Complete with a photo image of the magnificent tsubo, in the article, titled “Second Year of Einin-Engraved Seto Flask,” was written:

“Unearthed February, 18th Year of Showa (1943), in Shirotori, Kami-Shidami, Shidami Village, Higashi-Kasugai County, Aichi Prefecture
Height: 27.9cm Diameter of Mouth: 5.2cm Diameter of Body: 18.5cm
In the shape of a flask with a widening base, a transparent amber glaze covers the entirety of its body, with the following words engraved within its left-hand side.

Offered to the Gods at Hyakuzan Shrine
Dedicated by
Mizuno Shiro Masaharu, of Mikuriya in Seto, Yamadanokori County, Bishuu Province (present-day Aichi Prefecture)
Second Year of Einin (1294), A Day in November

Shidami Village is adjacent to Seto, and was under the control of the Mizuno family along with medieval Seto, Mizuno, Shinano and Asahi Villages. Records regarding the Mizuno clan can be found in the Jisho and Juei Periods, and they also appear in the (historical text) Azumikagami. In regards to Seto flasks that have explicit engravings of historical dates, a pair with the engraving “First Year of Showa (1312)” belonging to the Hakuzan Shrine in Nagataki, Hokuno Village, Gujo County, Gifu Prefecture has been designated National Treasures; however this particular flask with a key historical engraving is now considered to be the oldest in existence.”

It is hardly difficult to point out the many discrepancies between the facts stated in the Koko-gaku Zasshi article and the earlier Chubu Nippon Shimbun article. The latter article states that the shrine in question was a so-called Hyakuzan Shrine, whereas the earlier article had named the Hakuzan Shrine. In fact, there is no Hyakuzan shrine in Gifu or Aichi. The donator is named “Mizuno Shiro Masaharu” in the latter article, which correctly depicts the engravings, whereas the earlier article misreads the words as “Mizuno Shiro (Four Years) Masaharu.” And the latter article correctly alludes to the engravings as being made in “A Day in November,” rather than “Lucky Day in November.” Both articles, thus, are helplessly erred.

More bizarre is the fact that until recently, it was thought that a man named Ono Katsutoshi had written the Koko-gaku Zasshi article, as his name lies next to the article itself. In fact, Ono the archaeologist was in Beijing for 9 years, including the year 1943, and could not have returned to Japan to research and write about this utterly fascinating tsubo. Rather, the true author was none other than Mori Toku-ichiro, who was commissioned by Hasegawa to write about a subject he had no clue about. And strangely enough, his name was excluded from the article, which was a first for the prestigious journal.

Dejected that his offer to sell the Einin Tsubo was equivocally eschewed, Hasegawa travelled slowly and with heavy heart to his son Torao’s home. Leaving the tsubo in his son’s hands, Hasegawa told his son to “protect this tsubo with your life!” Torao did not question his father’s orders, and his wife Shuko heeded his request close to her heart. It would be Shuko who would rescue the Einin Tsubo from the inferno that was the great Tokyo fire bombings and return the vase to Shidami during her husband’s absence in the war. Yet Torao, who would become a leading member of the then-prominent Mainichi Shimbun Newspaper, would later speak these words that would shed light on some of the shadows surrounding the Einin Tsubo.

“My father genuinely believed the Einin Tsubo was real, and treated it as if it was a real treasure. It was Tokuro who told my father that it actually came from the repository of a shrine. But he had asked my father to say that my father had dug it up, and this is why the story of the road construction site was made.”

How did Hasegawa really obtain the Einin Tsubo? And what was Tokuro’s relationship with the mayor of Shidami? Like how darkness leads to further darkness, the trail of questions left behind by the Einin Tsubo only splinter further into a blurred kaleidoscope of lies.

(Continued in Chapter 3: A Sunny Afternoon in Seto)
Due in November
(Continued in Chapter 4: The Selling of the Einin)
Due in December
(Continued in Chapter 5: The Birth of an Important Cultural Property)
Due in January

Written by Wahei Aoyama, based on the book "Einin no Tsubo" by Matsui Kakushin
]]> http://www.seesaa.jp/r.pl?id=30 2009-10-31T20:59:11+09:00 ads by Seesaa http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/129116274.html Foreword and Chapter OneA Prelude to a MythFor many years, I had wanted to write about the Einin Tsubo. Unfortunately, each attempt ended in failure. The reasons for this are plenty. One reason was a lack of time to properly research the su... Einin Tsubo Incident Toku Art Limited 2009-09-29T16:44:55+09:00 Foreword and Chapter One
A Prelude to a Myth



For many years, I had wanted to write about the Einin Tsubo. Unfortunately, each attempt ended in failure. The reasons for this are plenty.

One reason was a lack of time to properly research the subject (this continues to elude me), and another was an uncertainty towards my own ability to write about the Einin Tsubo with enough eloquence and faithfulness towards the subject matter to give it the proper treatment that it so rightfully deserves.

I remain uncertain as to whether there is a "proper" way to write about this sensationally fugacious subject, and the Einin Tsubo to this very day continues to abound in a plume of fabrication and libel. Will the truth out? Perhaps more fascinating than adjudicating the colours of truth are the characters that colour the tale itself. I find it is extremely easy to become lazy with protagonist depictions and assign them to becoming mere caricatures, that there are merely foils to one another, polar opposites, as different as night and day, sun and moon -- the brilliant culpability of Kato Tokuro, the insipid gullibility of Koyama Fujio, the greedy arrogance of Tokuro, the untainted innocence of Koyama. Yet I would like to stress and make clear within the following story is that such one-sided parsimony hardly does justice in portraying and unlocking the complexities that simmer within the two lead characters. Man is known for carrying the weight of contradictions within one’s self, and these two men were hardly any different. In each lies the seven seas of lies and truth, and none are infallible, as are none more innocent than the other. And what of Kato (Okabe) Mineo? Victim or culprit? Honest angel or shrewd strategist?

In any event, I only wish to assume the role of the storyteller and eschew that of the arbiter, and hope that the following dramatic essays (which will be published within this blog in separate and somewhat sporadic monthly instalments that I estimate will end with 10 or so chapters) will be read with a sympathetic pinch of salt. Most importantly, and perhaps with the hope of exonerating my own biases, I wish to make claim that the onus lies with the reader to discern between the plethora of lies and truth that shroud the Einin Tsubo in both mystery and myth.


* Disclaimer *
The following chapters are narrative fiction (or is it called dramatised non-fiction?) based on a true story with researched facts taken and supplemented from the book by Matsui Kakushin entitled Einin no Tsubo -Gisaku no Tanmatsu, published by Asahi Shimbun Publishing in 1990. By interpreting and re-organizing the telling of the events by the author through the kaleidoscope of fiction, I have taken the liberty in creating a dramatization of the events and characters pertaining to the Einin Tsubo Incident. In no way do I lay claim to any of the assertions and research laid down by Mr Matsui, and I wish to make clear that the following chapters are inspired in full by the work of Mr Matsui. Factual credit, therefore, is given to Mr Matsui and his meticulous work in researching this particularly nebulous subject, except in areas where facts have been added for narrative coherence. The overwhelming majority of the narrative and the sequence of events are predominantly my own making.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited/Yufuku Gallery
September 28th, 2009

Chapter One
Prelude to a Myth -- The Nezu Gifts

February snow fell softly upon the elegant garden grounds of the Nezu Museum in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo. It is 1943, and the Japanese army, already demoralized by a string of defeats in the South Pacific, had recently been decimated in Guadalcanal. This particular museum was hardly oblivious to the workings of the war, as the Doolittle Raid, the first air bombing of Tokyo, had nearly punctured the institution on April 18th, 1942. The Nezu was in the midst of displaying an exhibition of exquisite Chinese celadon on this fateful day, and Mitsuoka Tadanari, a young curator who would eventually become a leading member of the Japan Ceramic Society, panicked as the bombs struck at Tokyo’s heart. The artworks were unscathed, yet many of the citizens of Tokyo were hardly as lucky.

If piety had a Japanese incarnation, Koyama Fujio (b.1900 – d. 1975) was it. A third-generation devout Christian of Quaker affiliation who grew up going to Sunday school, Koyama in 1943, often dressed in tie and tweed, was not only an advisor to the Nezu Museum, but was also the editor of the prestigious bimonthly ceramic journal “Tohji” published by the Toyo Toji Kenkyusho (Oriental Ceramics Research Institute) and a researcher at the Tokyo Imperial Museum (the present Tokyo National Museum). Koyama at the time was straight as an arrow, diligent and devoted, studiously passionate when deep in research. He was a potter/scholar with a knowledge and vision beyond his years, and was a formidable authority to be reckoned with. Ultimately, the Koyama of then was a very different man from the incomprehensible drunk which devoured and overshadowed the latter years of his life.


(Koyama Fujio)

Koyama’s personal story may be summed up by a single word, tsubo (jar), a word he himself so aptly composed in calligraphy shortly before his death. Little did Koyama know in 1943 that the Einin Tsubo was one of those utterly magnificent, beautiful yet ominous works of art that would become the Pandora’s Box of his own self-destruction. We do not know or realize these things at such times, but upon closer, careful inspection, one would discover that the strings of our tightrope were already unravelling right before our very eyes.

Kani-Kosen, or the Crab Cannery Ship, was an influential Socialist novel written by Kobayashi Kitaji in 1929 which idealized the class struggles of the proletariat (workers on ship) versus the bourgeoisie (owners of said ship), and which recently has seen a revival in popularity, in particular due to the increasing inequalities between the supposedly “middle” class structures of our modern age. Socialism was in true vogue at the time of Kobayashi’s novel, and Koyama himself, tickled by socialistic tendencies during the rise of Taisho Democracy in 1921, renounced his studies at the present-day Hitotsubashi University and boarded a crab cannery ship off the coast of Kamchatka Peninsula in 1923, perhaps to feel the pain of the working classes. On board, the educated Koyama served as a translator between the Japanese and Russian crewmembers, and the sturdily built and strapping lad, a health fanatic and sports aficionado, would even overpower the muscular Russian sailors in bouts of sumo.

The Kanto Great Earthquake in September of 1923 would provoke Koyama to cancel his 3-month infatuation for an ascetically difficult working-class existence, and the young man would soon return to Tokyo as a volunteer worker to help victims of the disaster, perhaps also to satisfy his Christian beliefs of self-sacrifice and service to society. This insatiable idealism for a “greater cause” would lead Koyama to enlist in the military, and it was there that the impressionable Koyama would be introduced to the works of Rosanin and Chinese ceramics by his colleague, the aristrocratic Okabe Chosei, born the wealthy son of former feudal lord Okabe Nagahiro.

Inspired by the beauty of Japanese and Chinese ceramics, Koyama headed straight to the library. Night and day, he would study the histories of ceramics from different ages, and view the photographic images of masterworks. Yet mere knowledge was not enough to satisfy his voracious hunger for beautiful objects, and he quickly decided to begin an apprenticeship at Yano Toto’s kiln in Seto in 1925, and soon thereafter, with Kyoto’s Mashimizu Zoroku II to create works of his own liking. The following year, Koyama opened his first independent kiln in Kyoto near the kiln of Ishiguro Munemaro (1893-1968), the future Living National Treasure. They would remain friends for life.

Yet Koyama’s fledgling fascination with creating pottery soon dwindled, perhaps due to his inability to throw and glaze works with the prowess of his Kyoto contemporaries. Rather, Koyama realized that his raison d’etre was not in creating ceramics (of which he would return to in the latter stages of his life), but in the archaeological research and excavation of ancient and medieval pottery. Returning to Tokyo in 1930, Koyama would become a member of the Oriental Ceramics Research Institute and begin a productive and prominent career as an archaeologist/art historian. His studies would bring forth a flurry of important articles on the subject of Chinese ceramics in particular, and after joining the Tokyo Imperial Museum in 1941, Koyama would travel to China in the midst of the Sino-Japanese War and make the most important discovery of his career -- the unearthing of the Song Dynasty white porcelain kiln at Ding Yao.

Koyama built the foundations for scientific research of Japanese and East Asian ceramics that placed prime precedence on evidence. In other words, archaeological findings such as shards were considered by Koyama to be the greatest infallible evidence of a certain style or ceramic period, and it were shards which revealed the skills and techniques of peoples and cultures past. His research would influence a legion of academics, and many of his scientific findings live on today.

The already-influential Koyama, then, trembled with excitement upon hearing that Seto’s Kato Tokuro, also already a prominent scholar and potter, had excavated what appeared to be approximately 700 Old Seto shards (Kamakura period 1185-1333) from the remnants of a landslide-stricken cliff after a powerful typhoon on August 15th, 1925.

In his diary, Koyama wrote:

“In February of 1943, Kato Tokuro explained to me how he discovered the remains of the Seto Matsudome kiln.” Kato said, “That year (1925) after the strong winds had passed I went to the woods where the remains of Seto’s Old Kilns were located, and saw that a cliff had collapsed, and lying in the rubble were shards with beautiful carved patterns that I had never seen before. I’ve never been so exhilarated in my life, and proceeded to excavate hundreds of shards. But I felt that it would be best that these are documented for the public good, and that’s why I decided to donate these shards as gifts to the Nezu Museum.”

Tokuro’s eyes sparkled as he spoke passionately of his find to Koyama. Kato Tokuro (1898-1985) was already well-respected in artistic circles for his Shino chawan that embodied the aesthetics of the Momoyama, in particular his magnificent 1930 opus, Tsurara (Icicle), owned by the great Masuda Donnoh. Yet not only known for his mastery of Shino, his fame (or infamy) was further bolstered by his scientific research into the old kilns of Seto, even writing a book in 1933 called “Ki-Seto” which effectively refuted the existence of Kato Shiro Kagemasa as the founder of Seto ware. For this sensational new take on Seto, Tokuro’s house was burned down by arsons unhappy with his findings, and his standing in Seto was precarious at best. In this light, Tokuro could be seen as unafraid of controversy.


(Kato Tokuro)

Mitsuoka Tadanari approached the museum director, Mitsuya Miyamatsu, for his opinion after hearing that Tokuro wished to donate the Matsudome shards. “Why shouldn’t we?” was Mitsuya’s reply. Indeed, none had an inkling of doubt towards Tokuro’s findings. And why should they? Works that were thought to have been born from the Matsudome kiln during its heyday were already known to exist, including a vase, jar and bowl.

The records that remain at the Nezu show the following:

Seto Matsudome
Discovered by: Kato Tokuro
Donated by: Kato Tokuro
Date of Donation: March 31st, Showa 18 (1943)
Number of Items: 690

For his kind generosity, the Nezu Museum would pay Tokuro 2000 yen or approximately 1 million yen in today’s currency.

After the shards were delivered safely to the Nezu, Koyama and Mitsuoka took their time to study each and every fragment to learn more about this mysterious and little-known kiln in Seto. Koyama said to Mitsuoka as he examined the shards of a gourd-shaped flower vase much like vases discovered from the end of the Goryeo Period in the Korean Peninsula, “I’ve never seen anything like these shards in any of Old Seto works. The Matsudome kiln must have been an advanced kiln.” Mitsuoka, mystified, replied, “It’s baffling to think that someone in Seto during the Kamakura Period could have copied such a work during this time.”

The curtains of winter would soon melt away to the warmth of Spring, and soon after the shards were deposited by Tokuro, the Einin Tsubo would be delivered to the Nezu Museum by the mayor of Shidami Village in Aichi Prefecture named Hasegawa Yoshitaka.

‘Tis then, a brilliant Spring morning in April of 1943, that the Einin Tsubo and Koyama Fujio would fatefully first meet.

(Continued in Chapter 2: Into Literature, Enter Infamy) ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/126910003.html Although an impending typhoon has coloured the skies above Tokyo a bleak grey, the forecast for Japan's political future is bright. As many of you may know, the LDP has lost their grip over government, and a new age for parliamentary politi... News and Updates Toku Art Limited 2009-08-31T17:41:10+09:00
August has traditionally been a quiet month in many sectors of business, and the art world is not alone in sharing a bit of peace and quiet before the busy Autumn season unfolds. However, I've been far busier than I could have imagined due to preparations for upcoming exhibitions, both domestic and abroad, as well as meeting various artists and clients. Naturally the time able to be allocated to this blog have dwindled as a result, even though I had many interesting topics to write about.

In any case, I hope to begin writing much more in September, starting with a new monthly series on the Einin Tsubo Incident (the battle between two brilliant individuals - the legendary Kato Tokuro and Koyama Fujio, among others).

Furthermore, the Yufuku website will be completely revamped by late September, and the Toku homepage, which had represented Yufuku's international affairs, will be replaced by a new English website under Yufuku's name. I apologise for the confusion, yet the relationship between Yufuku (my father's company) and Toku (my company) is being reorganised for the better. Expect the new website to feature more content, and perhaps more importantly, will be updated far more often.

Lastly, it is with deep sadness and regret that I announce the death of our beloved lacquer artist Suzuki Mutsumi (鈴木睦美 1942 - 2009), who passed away on May 17th, 2009 from kidney failure. All of us at Yufuku were in London during this time, and returned to Tokyo several days later to hear the fateful news, which shook us all by surprise. His death has not been openly publicised due to the wishes of Mutsumi-san's family. However, more than 3 months have passed since his death, and the time is ripe to pay our respects to one of the greatest lacquer artists of his generation.




(Mutsumi-san's beautiful home, which brings back many pleasant memories)


















(Perhaps his last great work which captured the amazing artistry and craftsmanship of Suzuki Mutsumi, a gold makie lacquered box of golden rice fields, made in 2008)

The lacquer world has lost one of its most world-renowned artists, and all of us will miss him so.

Respectfully,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

]]> http://match.seesaa.jp/ot_listing.pl?aid=381116&sid=toku-art&tid=seesaa_hotspot&k=%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AB%E3%83%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89&hid=35 自転車 サイクルモード | 行ってきました サイクルモード | サイクルモード2009 | 試乗 サイクルモード | 大阪 サイクルモード ]]> 2009-08-31T17:41:10+09:00 ads by Seesaa http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/124081219.html (Shakunaga Gaku, Sekiso 2009)Every now and then, young artists make their way to our doors, seeking advice on their works and their careers. Many have yet to make their debuts, and are unsure as to how to travel upon the long and winding ro... Shakunaga Gaku (Oribe) Toku Art Limited 2009-07-23T10:38:09+09:00
(Shakunaga Gaku, Sekiso 2009)

Every now and then, young artists make their way to our doors, seeking advice on their works and their careers. Many have yet to make their debuts, and are unsure as to how to travel upon the long and winding road of aesthetics. In fact, recent years have seen the number of visitations by such artists swell tenfold, perhaps due to the increasingly dire economic conditions within the Japanese art world.

The yearly extinction of once-prominent ceramic competitions, the diminishing of influence once personified by the Nitten and Dento Kogeiten, the lack of funding at academic institutions and museums, the dwindling of sales at the prestigious department stores scattered throughout urban locales... it is not surprising to find that many young (and old) ceramists simply give up the profession in order to pursue a life of sustainability. Others desperately seek more and more venues to exhibit their works to a discerning public with actual purchasing power. The numbers are few in Japan.


(Shakunaga's picturesque home in Iwase, Toyama Prefecture)

On the other hand, some ceramists simply stop by to casually view our exhibitions and artists. Shakunaga Gaku (釋永岳 1978-) was one such artist. Four years ago, Shakunaga, who had yet to make his debut, stopped by Yufuku to examine the Yamada Emu (currently Jozan IV) exhibition held in 2005.


(Inside Shakunaga's home, front exhibition space)

My father, Mitsumasa "Tom" Aoyama, who happened to be in the gallery that fateful day, hit it off with Shakunaga, a built and strapping youth with large features and a humble spirit. The artist did not have any of his works with him upon his first visit, nor did he have any images of his works. Yet even with this brief encounter, my father was struck by the sublime character of this youth's soul. Often times, a work is an external expression of one's inner self. In this light, one can catch a glimpse of an artist's work by the artist's character - this is fully evident by the almost identical nature of Mihara Ken and his work. The same holds for each and every artist we consider to be a Yufuku artist.


(Sitting in Shakunaga's home with Shojiguchi Rikie 小路口力恵, another Toyama-based artist who works in glass and who, along with Shakunaga, may very well represent the next generation of Yufuku artists)

Impressed with Shakunaga, my father would soon travel to the young artist's kiln in Toyama to learn more about the artist and his work. Shakunaga was born and raised near the soaring mountains of Toyama, his father Yukio a local potter. At the time, the artist was still experimenting with glazes and forms, and created functional works that were influenced by his father. Yet he wished to break free from the contraptions bound and set by functionality, and wanted to explore the world of abstract/conceptual ceramics that placed a premium on sculptural forms. In this sense, Shakunaga's direction and the aesthetics of Yufuku became entwined.


(With Shakunaga's wife and child, glass artist Shojiguchi Rikie, and Tom Aoyama on a melting summer day, August 2008)

Four years and numerous trips to Toyama would pass until Shakunaga would create a ceramic style that was refreshingly original and stylistically captivating, and worth exhibiting to the public. Such works are found in his current Yufuku exhibition, and are called Sekiso (積想), or literally, "the stacking up of inspiration."


(Work vaguely reminscent of the Oribe Jomon vases of legendary Okabe Mineo)

Each and every Shakunaga work is comprised of individual clay slabs of varying thickness that are flattened using tatara boards and stacked upon one another in layers. Each slab is torn from a larger slab of clay using his hands, which leaves a rugged texture to his surfaces. The clay used is a mixture of local Toyama clay, porcelain clay, and the Mogusa clay used in Shino ware. After an initial bisque-firing, Oribe glaze is air-brushed onto the surfaces, and the work is fired again in a gas kiln for approx. 30 hours.



Shakunaga's technique is unique, and is the materialization of his fascination with stacking clay pieces together as if composing architecture. The artist create forms devoid of pre-conconceived ideas, but rather, tries to "find a form through stacking each piece together and instilling it with his inner emotions, his experiences, his instincts." The resulting forms are thus the embodiments of his myriad inspirations, and like the pyramids of antiquity, are structurally built up from tiny blocks of earth.



Considering that the current Yufuku exhibition is his first body of work in his youthful career, I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the artist's swirving yet minimalistic silhouettes. His stacking technique leaves room for great potential and evolution, and it is interesting to see what sort of forms he will discover within himself next.


(Honoho Geijutsu, the venerable ceramics quarterly, also picked up on Shakunaga in their recent Oribe feature)

I am less impressed with his Oribe glaze - not that the quality of the glazing is bad, but Oribe has already been the muse of many, many great modern artists, for example Rosanjin, Okabe Mineo, and Koie Ryoji. Of course, the green glazing goes well with the naturalistic landscapes of his ceramics, and captures the masculine Momoyama nature of Oribe's origins. Yet why not strive for new horizons and create a signature glaze to call his own? The artist is only 31. I am sure there will be much more time for him to experiment and mature. In any case, let us enjoy his current Oribe "green" stage for what it is: an excellent debut of sculptural ceramics made by a promising young ceramist from Toyama.












(My personal favorite - the form is very Stonehenge/portal-like. What is fascinating is not simply the overall form but the space within the form. It is the simple emptiness which is wonderful)


(Shakunaga Gaku)

One can view the show in full at Yufuku's website here.

Please send inquiries regarding availability, prices and dimensions to the following address: info@toku-art.com

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited
]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/122718405.html Filled with shadows and shrubbery, a forest is a mystical place. Dark and imposing is its energies, and the same elements are imbued in the ceramic groves of Sugiura Yasuyoshi's (杉浦康益 1949- ) new work, currently on display at Yufuku Gallery... Sugiura Yasuyoshi (Ceramics) Toku Art Limited 2009-07-03T13:38:51+09:00

Filled with shadows and shrubbery, a forest is a mystical place. Dark and imposing is its energies, and the same elements are imbued in the ceramic groves of Sugiura Yasuyoshi's (杉浦康益 1949- ) new work, currently on display at Yufuku Gallery.



For his debut exhibition at Yufuku, Sugiura presents the viewer with 3 new styles of works. One is his Kodachi (ceramic forest) series, which feature rippling, twisted branches of trees stacked up on top of one another. This work was first introduced to the general public in 2006 at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in 2006, yet our exhibition will be the first for Sugiura to bring this work within a context of a gallery space. "Strength in numbers" is one of Sugiura's mottos, and 50 or so of these groves spring from the air and nearly touch the ceilings of Yufuku.



The 2nd new series that Sugiura introduces is his Kabe (wall) series, which were influenced by the decorated walls of the residential homes of the people of West Africa, in particular Burkina Faso.





One can almost feel the scorching sun and the dry red dust of the region in the works' rustic slip colors. The rudimentary, geometric shapes of the enameled designs are also drawn from Sugiura's African experience. These works are intended as sets in twos or threes, and are symbolic of an aesthetic simplicity that Sugiura has forgotten over the years with his pursuance of nature's complexities, as evident in his highly successful ceramic flowers.

A departure from traditions tried and tested is a gargantuan task for any artist. Sugiura, now 60, is already a well-established ceramist, and the veteran has a loyal following of collectors and is respected among the academics. Yet what is the virtue in endless repetition of mere technique? Where lies the urgency of now? I find that both immediacy and vitality are two aesthetic aspects that can be lost by an artist when creating the same styles over and over again. Sugiura had realized this, and it took a great leap of courage to want to break free from his own stylistic tendencies and create a new ceramic path.



Like the Kierkegaardian tale of Abraham, it is in fear and trembling that one is tested by the faith in his own aesthetics to move ahead and attempt to sacrifice Isaac, or in Sugiura's case, his ceramic flowers. Yet like the "knight of infinite resignation," Sugiura has mustered the courage to move ahead, and this, I believe, exhibits Sugiura's depth as an artist.

From his wall series, I find the highlight to be this set piece below.

]

The pieces pulsate with a breezy freedom that is evident in the wet glow of the glazing. Unlike the other wall works, this set has been made using the technique of "kaki-otoshi," and the diamond motifs are far more laid back and loose. In a sense, the kohiki white slip and the kaki-otoshi technique is reminiscent of the slip work of Sodeisha's Yagi Kazuo.

Lastly, Sugiura creates yet another playful pile of works in his tsumiki (woodblock) series.



Inspired by the parched red bricks he saw in Africa, each work is slightly different, with steps, bumps, belly-buttons and legs added to each clay block.



Fans of Sugiura could be seen picking and stacking block by block to ascertain which piece they would ultimately bring home with them.

Sugiura Yasuyoshi says that "the next 10 years of his career will be extremely important," as he intends to create works that will aptly mark the "curtain call" for his career as a ceramist. In this light, I believe his current Yufuku exhibition will be remembered as the turning point in his career. Sugiura's works continue to evolve, and I will not be surprised to see if his future finds him combining his various elements together to make an intriguing, vibrant symbiosis. Let us wait and see.


(Sugiura Yasuyoshi sitting with work)

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

P.S. I recently returned from the opening ceremony of the Paramita Museum Award Exhibition, where Yufuku artist Nagae Shigekazu (長江重和）has been nominated for the grand prize. Other nominees affiliated with Yufuku are Kishi Eiko (岸映子) and Ojiro Kaoru （小塩薫). I look forward to writing about the show in the month of July. Please stay tuned! ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/122551140.html I extend my deepest gratitude to all the visitors to our recent exhibition of new works by Mihara Ken. Quite surprisingly in this economic climate, Mihara-san was able to achieve his 3rd consecutive show which has sold out (the other two b... Sugiura Yasuyoshi (Ceramics) Toku Art Limited 2009-06-30T21:54:26+09:00
From his week, Yufuku Gallery and Toku Art will be proud to present our very 1st exhibition of new works by ceramic artist Sugiura Yasuyoshi (杉浦康益 1949- ), which opens on July 2nd at Yufuku Gallery and closes on the 11th.

Sugiura is oft associated with his ceramic flowers that are part of his "Ceramics of Natural History" series (see below).



This series is what captured the imaginations of many important ceramic collectors and critics such as Madame Kikuchi, owner of Musee Tomo, and Hayashiya Seizo, the leading ceramic critic today.

It was his ceramic flowers which placed Sugiura's name on the list of nominees for the Japan Ceramic Society Awards. Virtually every year in the past 5 years has Sugiura's name been mentioned as a key nominee, and in fact, he received the 2nd highest number of votes in 2005 (which was won by Ichino Masahiko) and in 2008 (won by Mihara Ken). Coincedentally, both artists are represented internationally by Yufuku.

This consecutive string of defeats, in a sense, was a deep disappointment to the artist. Yet this year, Sugiura returns to the ceramic stage with his first exhibition at Yufuku Gallery. Should the viewer expect more flowers? Far from it.

Rather, this show marks the first time that he will be displaying his large-scale and symbolic "Ceramic Forest" series within the context of a gallery space. This series was one of the highlights of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial held in Niigata Prefecture in 2006 (see below), and the artist just recently rebuilt this gigantic installation for the 2009 Triennial, which opens next month.



This work took approx. 2 weeks to stack each and every ceramic "block" that represent a grove or cluster of ceramic trees. Sugiura asked the current students of his alma mater, the prestigious Tokyo University of Arts, to help him in this greatly ambitious outdoor installation, and the results were stunning.

Each block is colored differently, and looks like this up-close.



For the first time, he will be exhibiting these works indoors within the gallery floor of Yufuku. The energy that will fill the walls of the gallery will be quite intense, and I believe will be a highlight of Japanese contemporary "conceptual ceramics." In a sense, the division between fine art and craft art are not only blurred but shattered in the works of the artist.

Yet not only this, Sugiura plans to exhibit a brand new series of works at his upcoming exhibition, entitled the "ceramic wall" series. This series is inspired by the sights and sounds of Africa, where he spent a great deal of time traveling in 2008. A glimpse of what is to come can be seen in the images below.



These are yet unfired and incomplete works, yet one can grasp a feel for Sugiura's latest direction. We hope you will join us in celebrating Sugiura's new ceramic path from this Thursday. For previews of Sugiura's contemplative new works, please contact us at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

ps. Upcoming articles will feature a recent visit to Tamba's Ichino Masahiko, who will be having a solo show at Yufuku in November, and a close-up of Sakurai Yasuko's studio. Sakurai will be having her next solo exhibition at Yufuku in March 2010. ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/121046194.html (Mihara Ken, second from right)It is 2PM on the opening day of Mihara Ken's Yufuku exhibition, and famed collectors and critics alike flow in and out of Yufuku's doors. It is hard to think of any other ceramic artist in Japan today who att... Mihara Ken (Sekki) Toku Art Limited 2009-06-08T00:14:55+09:00
(Mihara Ken, second from right)

It is 2PM on the opening day of Mihara Ken's Yufuku exhibition, and famed collectors and critics alike flow in and out of Yufuku's doors. It is hard to think of any other ceramic artist in Japan today who attracts the sort of visitor flow as Mihara san, bar Kakurezaki Ryuichi - a new exhibition of previously unreleased works is an event in itself, and are the cause for much excitement in the eyes of fans of ceramic art. Over half of the 30 works are sold by midday, and none of us, including Mihara-san, have time for lunch.

"This is only a beginning," Mihara quietly tells me before the show, and rightfully so. This exhibition marks a departure for the artist. Since releasing his much-acclaimed Kigen series in 2007, Mihara was caught under a flurry of media attention, and was placed under great pressure to create larger and more ambitious work for a global audience. Two major exhibitions in 2008, his SOFA NYC solo exhibition and his Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition, required Mihara to create approx. 100 mid-sized to large works in a span of 6 months. Yet his new firing method, which required multiple and extensive firings, took the artist double the time to create a single work. To meet his deadlines, Mihara had to do something he disliked most - recreate forms from his past in order to satisfy demand.

"I tried to think of the JCS Award Exhibition as something like a 'Greatest Hits,' but after awhile, I realized that I was simply letting my creative processes into auto-pilot." In particular, his "origami" forms were immediately eye-catching, and demand for this style continues to this very day. Not surprisingly, his SOFA and JCS shows were grand successes, with the artist selling out all 100 works in a flash. Acquisitions by the Metropolitan Museum, the Yale Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Eastern Hiroshima Museum of Art, along with his receiving the Grand Prize at the Tea Forms Exhibition (Tanabe Museum), the Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition (Musee Tomo), and the Japan Ceramic Society Award, all in a span of two years, were great honors, but the extensive accolades would eventually take a toll on the artist.



"I needed to recharge and understand what I wanted to express in the future, and so after August of 2008, I didn't touch a drop of clay until January of 2009."

Mihara's career was hardly a guaranteed success. He first touched clay in college, and was taken by the works of Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kato Tokuro - artists that, at first glance, appear far different from Mihara. Mihara would begin his career under the supervision of Mingei artist Funaki Kenji - yet Mingei and Mihara seemed also to be worlds apart. "I was, in a sense, attracted by the aesthetic simplicity within Mingei. But it was not like I was infatuated with creating functional vessels. Instead, from early on in my career, I tried to figure out how I could close the top of my pots and turn them into non-functional works. Early in my career I became fascinated with the Sodeisha spirit, and their works had a profound influence upon my aesthetics. But as I was a young potter, I needed to make a living. Hence, my works retained an element of functionality. But what was most important to me was creating a silhouette that was borne naturally from within me."



Tomimoto Kenkichi, Kato Tokuro, and the Sodeisha. What each artist or group have in common is the underlying theme that ceramics is a means for self-expression. And for Mihara, the same holds true. Yet moreover, the artist that he is most often compared to is Kamoda Shoji (1933-1983). This is no coincidence. Like Kamoda, Mihara intentionally chooses to discontinue a certain theme (for Mihara, a form, or for Kamoda a patterned motif) and create a new one each and every year. Thus it can be said that the two artists were forever evolving, and like Kamoda, Mihara is brave enough to move forward to challenge new forms without dwelling on former glories. Yet this is not the only similarity. In fact, the technique of covering his ceramic surfaces with silica slip before his 2nd firing is a technique that was pioneered by Kamoda in the 70's. Says Hanazato Mari, curator of Musee Tomo, "I am aware of only two artists in Japan who use this technique -Kamoda and Mihara."

"I began this technique as I wanted to create a barrier between the fire and the actual clay surface. I didn't want the fires to hit the clay directly. Rather, an indirect firing could produce even more weathered and dramatic results. This was my intent," says Mihara.



"I was afraid to move on after 2008. I had used up my energies in trying to form and fire enough works for two very large exhibitions, and I reached a point where I could not freely create new forms and experiment. So for 2009, I decided that I would only pick up clay when I was absolutely ready to create something new from within me. I had an image in my mind of rounder, more simplistic forms. I wanted to shave off all excess and unnecessary fat from my ceramics. And at the same time, I wanted to experiment again with the new firing technique that I had started with the Kigen series. But this time, I chose to change the timing of reduction and play with slight variances in temperature for each and every work depending on the size and shape of the piece to be fired. By this experimentation, I was able to achieve new landscapes that I could not previously achieve. But again, this is only a beginning. I still don't have a title for the new series. However, I now know which direction I want to take my works. I think no. 5 (see image below) is a good example of a simple form, yet intriguing enough in its slight tensions and curvatures. This is where I'd like to take my works. And this exhibition is the beginning of my new journey."

Mihara Ken's work mirror the mind and soul of the artist. They ripple with an assured serenity, brim with spiritual simplicity, and limn a silent poeticism found in the calm of open oceans after the passing of a storm - much like the oceans of Sugimoto Hiroshi's photographs. And they are moving works that are borne from the depths of Mihara Ken's imagination. His ceramic journey has only just begun.



From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama　青山和平
Toku Art Limited

The Yufuku exhibition can now be seen in its entirety via the following link. The show ends June 13th. ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/120748016.html Mihara Ken (1958- 三原研)'s first solo exhibition since his Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition in August of 2008 will take place from June 4th to 13th at Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo, Japan (Sun, Mon closed). His new works exhibit the beginni... Mihara Ken (Sekki) Toku Art Limited 2009-06-03T12:47:25+09:00

Mihara Ken (1958- 三原研)'s first solo exhibition since his Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition in August of 2008 will take place from June 4th to 13th at Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo, Japan (Sun, Mon closed).



His new works exhibit the beginning of a new chapter in Mihara's career. The artist, much like Kamoda Shoji (who he is often compared to), is hardly complacent in recreating the same forms and firings that had captured much acclaim in recent years. Rather, he wishes to give birth to new forms and firings that "are naturally borne from (his) inner spirit." Thus, no longer will we see these two signature forms that have been widely collected by museums the world over in the past two years alone.



Rather, his new forms exhibit even greater simplicity and a stark, bulb-esque minimalism that are, in essence, a window into the mind of the artist. Mihara's new works pulsate with a relaxed and assured confidence in his own abilities - it seems as if the artist is well aware that he is now at the height of his powers. Yet where many artists will tend to overdo and outshow his or her abilities at their prime by trying too hard, or in other words, falling towards pretension or awkward contrivement, Mihara steers toward a far more serene aptitude. Furthermore, the new works also exhibit a range of tones, from the poetically austere to vivid oranges and blues, which are a result of a revamped firing technique that he has further tweaked from the experiments of his past Kigen (Genesis) series.



We hope you enjoy the new works of Mihara Ken, unquestionably one of the leading ceramic artists of his generation. For a detailed preview of the works, or for any enquiries into prices and availability, please email us at info@toku-art.com. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

ps. In the next few days I will be posting an interview article with Mihara-san. Please stay tuned.



]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/120443844.html (Facade of Saatchi Gallery, Venue of Collect 2009)(Mitsumasa "Tom" Aoyama at work, along with Wahei Aoyama)Art fairs never cease to amaze me, nor do they fail to enthrall and entrance both visitors and exhibitors alike. Lights flash, artwor... News and Updates Toku Art Limited 2009-05-29T17:59:01+09:00
(Facade of Saatchi Gallery, Venue of Collect 2009)


(Mitsumasa "Tom" Aoyama at work, along with Wahei Aoyama)

Art fairs never cease to amaze me, nor do they fail to enthrall and entrance both visitors and exhibitors alike. Lights flash, artworks glisten, rumours abound, and ultimately, works sell en mass, with the metallic sounds of credit card readers heard ricocheting off the whitewashed halls of the Saatchi Gallery, the brand-new venue of Collect 2009.

This oiled amalgamation of art and consumption is strangely exotic, and at the same time, oddly intoxicating. Exhaustion, in eager friendship with the laws of gravity, had already pulled me down from the preview (unquestionably the busiest day of the fair), but surprisingly enough, I found myself back up on Day 1, frighteningly energetic and ready to meet an entirely different kind of clientele for each and every day of the show. It is these meetings that please me most -- listening to what people viscerally feel about the art that we present. As I had selected each and every work, it is especially gratifying when a collector who had never before seen Japanese art in his life exclaim that the works on display are the most beautiful he had ever seen. Arigato gozaimasu.


(Arranged display before the opening....)

And as the curtains closed on Collect 2009, it is fair to claim that this edition of the show, held for the first time at a venue for contemporary art (ie Charles Saatchi's new pad), was a very different entity from what had preceded it at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2008. Not only was Collect shortened to 3 days from 5, but the gallery space could now physically allow for exhibitors to expand their stand sizes, which was an impossibility at the V&A. This, in turn, allowed for exhibitors to be more ambitious with their display designs, and more importantly, with the types of works they would exhibit.


(Many, many visitors with kind words for our art and artists)

Likewise, I found a new challenge in assembling an orchestra of works that could be shown as a symphonic collage, and would not be drowned from the sheer size of the enlargened stand (which I also had to spend much time in carefully designing in order to accentuate each and every work). I believe this preparation was vital to our success at Collect 2009.


(Major work by Nagae Shigekazu which received perhaps the most acclaim from visitors, on par with our Fukami Sueharu and Ikuta Niyoko works, which can be viewed in previous entries).

I'm of the opinion that Collect is still going through a learning curve, and will progressively improve with time. Of course, what is paramount is the quality of the art on display. I am curious to see what sort of galleries are added to next year's exhibitor list, if any, alongside the usual suspects, and hope that even greater synergy can be bolstered as a result.

All of us at Toku Art and Yufuku Gallery sincerely thank the many visitors to our stand, and we extend to you our deepest gratitude for taking the time to speak with us and enjoy the works on display -- we report each and every comment to our artists, and they too are extremely happy to hear from you.

We look forward to seeing you again at Collect 2010 -- our planning has already begun for next year's show, and as always, please expect to be pleasantly surprised with the works and artists we will be presenting.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited



ps. Next Thursday is the start of Mihara Ken's (三原研　1958- ) first exhibition of new works since his Japan Ceramic Society Award exhibition in August 2008. Mihara-san amazes me in his ability to constantly challenge himself by discarding old forms (however popular) to create new ones. For this upcoming show, he will be presenting completely new forms that have never been exhibited before. Perhaps even more minimalistic than his previous works, we find them to be his best work yet. And his firings? Mihara-san has also tweaked his firing technique, and this has unlocked a new range of landscapes on his stoneware surfaces. For previews, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/119619404.html Staff from both Toku Art and Yufuku are in London at this very moment exhibiting at the Collect Art Fair 2009, and today marks the morning before the 2nd official day of the event. Before the start of Collect on Thursday (preview night), we... News and Updates Toku Art Limited 2009-05-16T15:21:12+09:00

Staff from both Toku Art and Yufuku are in London at this very moment exhibiting at the Collect Art Fair 2009, and today marks the morning before the 2nd official day of the event.

Before the start of Collect on Thursday (preview night), we were slightly worried as to the economic climate of Britain and the EU. Yet to our pleasant surprise, we have reconfirmed that the demand for the very best in contemporary Japanese art continues to be strong. Tall and abundant praise has been given to us from new and old clients in regards to this year's collection of artworks (which took me a year to assemble), and towards the display/layout of our stand. With works by Nagae Shigekazu, Takeyama Naoki, Ikuta Niyoko and Takagaki Atsushi selling out during the 1st day alone, I think it's already safe to say that this year's show is another success.

Furthermore, we are pleased to announce that the Victoria & Albert Museum has purchased a seminal work of glass by Ikuta Niyoko for their permanent collection. As you can see by the image below, the work was acquired through the Art Fund Collective, which is an excellent competition-based public fund given to museums in order to acquire art for their collection.



Congratulations to Ikuta-san!

There are now 2 more days left of the 3-day fair. I truly look forward to welcoming you to our humble stand.

From London skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/118359395.html Takeyama Naoki Collection for Yufuku/Toku Art 2009One can safely claim that Japanese ceramics has forged a stellar reputation and an avid following throughout the world in the 21st century. There is something about the artform and its artis... Takeyama Naoki (Shippo) Toku Art Limited 2009-04-30T23:11:05+09:00
Takeyama Naoki Collection for Yufuku/Toku Art 2009

One can safely claim that Japanese ceramics has forged a stellar reputation and an avid following throughout the world in the 21st century. There is something about the artform and its artists that continue to captivate not only collectors of art but so-called Japanophiles who may not be well-versed in traditional Japanese aesthetics per se. At the same time, other traditional Japanese crafts such as lacquerware, for example, have also been cherished in the West for its quality and collectibility, perhaps evidenced by lacquer's colloquial moniker as "Japan."

(Yumegatari 'Reverie' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Yet compared to these two mediums, the art of shippo, or Japanese cloisonne (enamelled metalwork), has been gravely overlooked throughout the years, not only globally but in Japan itself. Cloisonne itself is an ancient art. Born in the Near East, shippo would eventually travel further east along the cultural currents of the Silk Road, and ultimately, reach its zenith in the Far East. In the Meiji to Taisho periods, leading shippo artists such as Namikawa Yasuyuki and Namikawa Sosuke created works that were in many ways the absolute culmination of Japanese cloisonne. Their works today, rippling with elegant exoticism, are still widely collected for being emblematic of Japanese export ware during the Meiji period.


(Kogare 'Devotion' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Unfortunately, it is not exaggeration to claim that Japanese cloisonne since the deaths of the two Namikawas had not witnessed a charismatic artist who would elevate the art into the common national psyche of the Japanese people, much like how artists such as Kato Tokuro or Rosanjin would fully establish Japanese ceramics into the national consciousness.


(Tokiyo 'Time Flow' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Takeyama Naoki (1974- ), however, may very well be the young, charismatic artist that the world of shippo has been waiting for. Takeyama wields the ancient technique with an electric modernity that calls to mind the pop-art of the 1960's and the minimalistic, asymmetrical designs of Japanese fashion designers of the 1980's.

Head of his class at the prestigious Tokyo University of the Arts, Takeyama achieved the Grand Prix at the Japan Cract Exhibition at the young age of 25, while winning an array of awards since. Publically collected by Toyota City (his hometown) and his alma mater, along with the recent acquisition of his work by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London during Collect 2008, Takeyama's metalwork is seen as a stunning reinterpretation of an ancient art, and ultimately, proposes to cloisonne a wealth of new possiblities.


(Yumegatari 'Reverie in Navy' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Shown in this blog are several of Takeyama's new works made especially for Collect 2009. Each and every work is elegantly hand-pinched from a single sheet of copper, which in itself is an amazing feat. The glazes and gold or silver leaf are not fired with wires, as in traditional cloisonne, but are meticulously applied using a small sieve and a bamboo paddle. This is also a mind-boggling process that can take up to 20 separate applications, then drying, then firing. In other words, each Takeyama work epitomizes the refined amalgamation of extreme technique and imagination, and are, in essence, the future of Japanese shippo.


(Kogare 'Devotion in Blue' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

I believe Takeyama Naoki will be the artist that bravely leads Shippo into the 21st century. He has it all -the wild imagination, and the bold technique to materialize this imagination into art. We hope that many will take the time to view his work in London next month during Collect 2009 and say hello to Takeyama-san, who will also be at our stand. He is an amazing artist, and represents the very best of contemporary Japanese art.


(Tamayura 'Ephemeral' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited ]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/116446570.html (Tenku by Fukami Sueharu 深見陶治, 2009)Toku Art, along with its partner Yufuku Gallery, will return to London this May to exhibit at Collect 2009, the premier European international art fair for contemporary applied and decorative objects.This... News and Updates Toku Art Limited 2009-03-30T17:26:21+09:00 (Tenku by Fukami Sueharu 深見陶治, 2009)

Toku Art, along with its partner Yufuku Gallery, will return to London this May to exhibit at Collect 2009, the premier European international art fair for contemporary applied and decorative objects.

This year's Collect will be relaunched from the stunning new venue - the Saatchi Gallery in London, and will be held from May 15th (Fri) to May 17th (Sun), with a private viewing day on May 14th (Thu). Yufuku/Toku will be exhibiting at Stand G11, which is on the ground floor of Gallery 4.

(Tsuranari no Katachi by Nagae Shigekazu 長江重和 2008)

We are extremely excited with our lineup for this year. Building on our permanent six artists - Mihara Ken (stoneware), Nagae Shigekazu (porcelain), Ichino Masahiko (stoneware), Takeyama Naoki (cloisonne), Yede Takahiro (metalwork) and Suzuki Mutsumi (lacquer), three excellent artists have created new work especially for our Collect exhibition. They are:

Fukami Sueharu (porcelain)
Ikuta Niyoko (glass)
Takagaki Atsushi (celadon)

Please view Yufuku/Toku Art's 2009 PDF catalogue for the show from this link, which has commentaries and artist profiles of each artist we will be representing at Collect.

All the works featured in this blog will be exhibited at Collect 2009, and are only a fraction of all the works we will be bringing with us. We are extremely proud of this year's selection, and we sincerely hope you enjoy the works of Japan's leading contemporary artists. We truly look forward to meeting you in London this May.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Please direct all enquiries regarding works and prices to Wahei Aoyama at info@toku-art.com.

(Kuu by Ikuta Niyoko 生田丹代子, 2009)

(Kigen by Mihara Ken 三原研 2008)

(Kagero by Yede Takahiro 家出隆浩 2009)

(Kosoku by Takagaki Atsushi 〓垣篤 2009)

(Inaho Makie Futamono by Suzuki Mutsumi 2009)

(Yumegatari by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹 2009)

(Tamba Kurowan by Ichino Masahiko 市野雅彦 2009)




]]> http://toku-art.seesaa.net/article/114569123.html I think it was the first or second day of Yeo Byung Uk (呂棅旭 1969- )'s debut exhibition at Yufuku Gallery in 2008 that I noticed that our clients were sensing something deeply moving about the work of this virtually unknown ceramist... Yeo Byung Uk (Korean Stoneware) Toku Art Limited 2009-02-21T00:32:56+09:00

I think it was the first or second day of Yeo Byung Uk (呂棅旭 1969- )'s debut exhibition at Yufuku Gallery in 2008 that I noticed that our clients were sensing something deeply moving about the work of this virtually unknown ceramist from Korea. Judging from the curious clientele who turned up for the show, and by their enthusiastic reactions, it seemed as if I was witnessing the nascence of a ceramic artist whose talent had only just begun to flow into a larger, yet still unchartered ocean.

Surprising, moreover, was the thought that not only was this exhibition Yeo's first in Japan, it was in fact his first solo exhibition ever.

For 10 whole years after graduating with a Masters from the Musashino University of Arts and building his kiln in the outskirts of Seoul in 1998, the artist would not exhibit his works to a discerning publich; rather, he would keep his creations to himself, working diligently with clay in his studio. The reasons for this are many, but mostly stemmed from a deep disatisfaction with his ceramic style, or lack thereof. Yeo was actually skilled in various glazes and techniques, yet could not pinpoint a single style with which he wished to call his own.



One night, Yeo found beauty lying to be discovered in the kitchen windowsill of his family home. It was a small Korean pot made centuries ago, rustic and worn, subtle yet sublime. The work's iron-like facade was borne from polishing flaxeed oil or amani-yu (亜麻仁油) onto a stoneware surface. Yeo took the pot in his hands, and found its patina to be a source of inspiration for his future creations.

Fast-forward to 2008. Yeo's first Yufuku exhibition, for a debut by a foreign artist, was a success. A famous Tokyo contemporary art dealer, who would only be attracted to Mihara Ken ceramic works outside of his typical contemporary art landscape, found a similar espirit in the works of Yeo, and would later eagerly acquire the Korean artist's work. A dealer from Nagoya was equally enamored by Yeo's minimalistic forms and austere firings would later hold the artist's second exhibition in Nagoya. And just recently, a museum in Korea telephoned our Tokyo gallery to ask how they may get in touch with Yeo so that they could invite the artist to exhibit at their annual ceramics exhibition. After 10 years of quietly perfecting his art, recent events have finally begun to shine light onto Yeo's talent for creating contemplative stoneware shorn of excess embellishment. Beauty within simplicity is often times the most difficult element to achieve. Yeo understands this, and confidently so.

Which brings us to Yeo's current exhibition. Using stoneware clay taken from the southern regions of the Korean peninsula, Yeo forms his works by hand and by the potter's wheel, and fires his works twice (bisque-firing, main firing) using a gas kiln. The works remain unglazed after firing, and the real battle for Yeo begins by the application of the flaxeed oil. Literally rubbing the oil into the clay surface, the artist polishes out a finish that can be easily mistaken for tarnished metal. Achieving such a metallic tinge is the most difficult part of Yeo's creative process, and a final firing after extensive polishing cements the colors onto the surfaces.



Yeo's demeanor is calmly serene, much like his works. Speaking in fluent Japanese, the artist says, "since a child, I enjoyed art and the process of creation. I've tried several mediums, yet it was my chance meeting with a ceramics teacher in junior high school which made me understand that working with clay was my calling."

Please find images from the artist's Yufuku exhibition here. Talented ceramists do not only hail from Japan, and Yeo's current exhibition is a clear reminder of such a truth.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited




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