Kawakita Handeishi--The Playful Chajin

In the world of 20th century Japanese Tea Ceramics there is one man who left a mark like no other, yet his first job was not as an artist yet as a wealthy banker of great privilege. His legacy is based on his magnificent chawan and other utensils associated with cha-no-yu, along with his profound influence on many younger potters of the day---think 1930s-40s--who later became the pillars of their own respective styles--think Kaneshige Toyo, Miwa Kyuwa and Arakawa Toyozo.
Handeishi Kawakita is his name and he referred to himself as an amateur, and his works do lack technical proficiency, but they are in keeping with an "amateur tradition" that dates back to the great Koetsu Honami (1558-1637). His chawan have charming personalities and quirky rhythms about them, bearing names such as "The Wealthy" or "Thin Ice"; Kawakita was well-known for the unusual names he bestowed on his works. A special retrospective on Kawakita will be held at the Sogo Museum in Yokohama from Feb. 11- March 22nd and this is not to be missed if at all possible. The museum is located on the sixth floor of the Sogo Department store at the east exit of Yokohama station. The 'museum' has a web page in Japanese only: http://www2.sogo-gogo.com/common/museum/index.html

A bit more about Kawakita can be read here: http://www.cpm-gifu.jp/museum/english/tenraninfo/03_1contents.html

Kabtuo Samurai Stoneware Helmets-Echoes of Past Glory--Koinuma Michio

Greetings from Mishima,

As the year 2009 slowly winds down we close our exhibition
schedule with a look at 20 of Koinuma Michio's empowered
kabuto--Samurai helmets. Kabuto are objects with a significant
history here in Japan, worn by the warrior class Samurai for
protection in battle, they also were symbols of power and clan
affiliations; many were also beautifully constructed to resemble
works of art. Nowadays families display model ones during Boy's
Day in the spring in hopes of a strong and healthy future. Each
of Koinuma's helmets has an ancient aura surrounding the darkened
patina of each work, as if they were excavated from a lord's
tomb. The symbolism is strong in each representing character,
boldness, humility, honor and courage. Fired in a small
wood-burning kiln, each is given a unique firing scheme that can
never be duplicated. Koinuma(b.1936) imparts to all his unique
ceramic creations a deep spirituality combined with a pure
Japanese aesthetic; he's been doing this for decades and as such
is respected as one of Japan's most important veteran ceramic
artists. Sizes range from 13 to 23cm.tall and prices are between
100,000-160,000 yen with signed boxes. Each is hollow yet very
solid with a good weight and balance; additional photos of any
gladly sent upon request. Koinuma's kabuto are on the web gallery
now for viewing and in time for the holidays.

Next year look for a new look to our online gallery; we've been
working with a great team of web designers and look forward to
the debut in early January. Also on tap for 2010 are exhibitions
by Nagaoka Masami, jars by Koinuma, colorful Shimura Noriyuki and
a rare look at veteran Hirashimizu potter Niwa Ryochi; other
exhibitions to be announced.

With any orders through the end of the year we'll be including a
traditional hand cloth called a tenugui that was designed by
Ajiki Hiro as a year-end gift.

With much thanks for all your interest and support this year.
Wishing all a very pleasant, enjoyable and healthy holiday season.

Warm regards,

Robert Yellin
www.japanesepottery.com

The Power of Iga--Fujioka Shuhei's Exhibition

We are excited to announce and share previews of our third
Fujioka Shuhei exhibition here at our gallery in Mishima. Iga ceramic artist Fujioka Shuhei
(b.1947) possesses the power to make mountains out of clay. He
then fires his bold creations in an anagama to 'fire-brush' on
mossy green, blue and gray natural ash glazes. These captivating
colors contrast and highlight the rich clay flavor and hi-iro
(fire color) that Iga is world-renowned for, as well as the koge
scorch colors (Iga has three famous keshiki-landscapes of hi-iro,
koge and bidoro-glass). Iga is one of those magical medieval
styles that speaks volumes of the Zen-inspired ways that are to
be found within Tea-pottery; Fujioka understands this. His heart
is pure and he loves the earth at his feet, whether it is for his
clay works, or the vegetables he grows in the fields. Like
potters of old, he too is a farmer and listens to the teachings
that nature whispers in his ears. In a nutshell, after graduating
college Fujioka went to work for a production kiln in Seto. Yet
upon seeing a Ko-Iga piece, he then knew there was no other style
for him. He apprenticed with Tanimoto Kosei before establishing
his own kiln in 1975. He's had countless solo exhibitions
throughout Japan and has been featured in numerous publications.
Fujioka is to Iga what Harada and Kakurezaki are to Bizen, except
without all the awards. He's a soft-spoken man, humble and deep;
all these qualities are in his work as well as an awe-inspiring
feel of the power of nature. Fujioka fires a small kiln for three
days and if he gets a one-third success rate for any kiln he
feels it's been a success. The high loss rate is one reason we
find so few Iga potters, it's almost loony--as Fujioka himself
says---to work in Iga with all its hurdles and failures. Yet the
successes are clay jewels, as you'll see for yourself in the
following links. We are extremely pleased to offer the world a
chance to see Fujioka's Iga world online or here at our Mishima
gallery until December 10th.

The exhibition will go online for public viewing on Tuesday of
next week, advance previews available by emailing Robert
via the web gallery at www.japanesepottery.com

In Today's Japan Times

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?mode=getarticle&file=fl20091114a1.html

Living National Treasure Tokuda Yasokichi III R.I.P.

http://dailynews.yahoo.co.jp/fc/domestic/obituary/?1251282436 and http://mytown.asahi.com/ishikawa/news.php?k_id=18000000908270001 Sorry in Japanese only

An Important California Exhibition/Tokyo Too...

For now: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/exhibitions/exhib_pages/Soaring_Voices.htm
and http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng/2009/ito/index.html; a review in today's Japan Times:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fa20090814a1.html

Kaneko Jun's First Tokyo Exhibition

From the Asahi Newspaper, in Japanese only though: http://www.asahi.com/culture/news_culture/
Showing at Tokyo midtown until August 2nd. Photo Courtesy of Asahi Newspaper:
http://www.asahi.com/english/