PERFECTION REVISITED

Perfection is a tricky thing unless you are speaking about scientific or mathematical perfection. What I have come to think is that perfection is an amalgam of a myriad of mistakes or imperfections that one way or another tricks the senses into perceiving the perfect. If you have ever used an instrument to measure a thrown pot which appears perfectly round, you will be amazed that it is anything but. Years ago, my wife and I knew a guy who cast specific parts for the US Air Force emergency response equipment. These cast pieces had to be perfect; they were weighed to within 1/1000 of a gram, tested with a durometer for exact hardness, measured with varying calipers to measure within 1/10,000 of an inch and finally x-rayed to be sure there were no voids, casting flaws, etc. For such items and certainly other scientific objects and calculations, perfect has to be absolutely perfect.

My latest conundrum is at what point does a perfect pot have to be perfect, specifically porcelains celadon pieces? There is a purity and simplicity, even a brutal honesty to these pots; to some sterile and boring, to others breath taking, inviting and serene, that is the foundation of these works. Despite your viewpoint, there is a resolute perspective that these pots should be as perfect as is possible.

In my blog I have covered wood fired pieces as being perfect if they are in the same condition the potter unloaded them from the kiln or placed them in a signed box, scars and all, but for porcelain, especially celadons, a whole different set of rules applies*. Beyond the obvious of good form, symmetry and visual balance there is perfection without being cold, boring or lifeless. If you think of potters like Kawase Shinobu, Meada Akihiro and Fukami Sueharu, can you imagine a piece with pinholes, a blemish or two, glazed voids, glaze drips or overlaps, areas of crawled glaze? While these "faults" work well with the way a potter like Kato Tsubusa works, the truth is, these pieces are held to a higher standard of perfection because of their simple surfaces, any imperfection is glaringly obvious and seems magnified tenfold. With opaque celadons, I personally find no room for any imperfections but with transparent and translucent glazes ever so minor blemishes don't necessarily doom a piece; think of the small pinholes and iron spots in the various seiji surfaces of Shimizu U'ichi and even Okabe Mineo. Over time, the one thing that I have discovered is that "perfection" is ultimately defined by and relative to what the pot is, varying wildly from style to style and what is acceptable with Iga-yaki is no where palatable with painted Imari porcelains.

Illustrated is an Ouji mizusashi by Hokkaido potter, Ono Kotaro. His pots are hand thrown and hand carved to utter perfection and his fit and finish of his pottery is exceptional. As a potter (and collector) the mind reels as I imagine how he is able to maintain such exacting curves and create such a perfect surface. Years of patient training, experience and muscle memory all combine to present hand made perfection.

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."  Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944)

(*Restrictions, exceptions and exclusion may apply.)

 

 

 

INLAY

A fairly rare and interesting vase arrived here today by a master of inlay, Kondo Yutaka. Using the elemental  but contrasting colors of black and white, Yutaka has created a vivid and highly animated vase with his textbook decoration, textured black surface and vivid white inlay created by stamping and the use of a rouletting tool. Kondo Yutaka (1932-85) was the son of Ningen Kokuho Kondo Yuzo and studied with his father as well as Tomimoto Kenkichi and Fujimoto Yoshimichi (Nodo) both Living National Treasures as well. On a trip to Korea and China, Yutaka who was drawn to black and white was heavily influenced by the Korean ware known as punch'ong and rapidly developed a unique style based on the historic archetype. This vase is a classic example of this inlay work and is a highly developed example of a synthesis of function and aesthetics at which he excelled. There is a tremendous amount communicated in only black and white with such a simple and well executed idea.

BLUE MONDAY XXII

Measuring in at about six inches tall this small vellum blue jug was inspired by looking around at Fifties design, including the early work of Lucie Rie and Hans Coper. Designed for use from frig to table, this small pitcher is excellent for milk, cream, gravy or even maple syrup and was made to be functional. The pot was thrown out of porcelain with a sharp lip to help cut the flow of liquid when pouring and then had slip applied and carved through with a sharp stylus. In hand the dark band of slip around the jug and at the lip has blue hue where the cobalt in the slip was accentuated by the glaze. I only made a few of these created mostly for fun but the vellum glaze is proving to be rather versatile across a wide array of forms and can be used thick or thin for varying surfaces.

 

RINGKNOPF

Illustrated is a simple, straight forward iron yellow kushime covered jar with a type of knob I have used off and on for quite some time. This ring knob is made by pulling a length of clay, the same way you would pull a handle making sure to keep the pulled coil round. When I am pulling it I make sure the center part is just a bit thinner than the ends will be which allows for a good amount of clay to attach to the lid. I let it set up for a bit before bending it in half and cutting to size. Once attached, I use the end of a paintbrush to create a discernable circle within the knob and this helps create the impression of a ring set on the lid. There is nothing to fancy or complicated about the process or end result, but it is the details that get the job done.

"I have put my heart and soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." Vincent Van Gogh

OUTSIDE THE BOX

For Kako Katsumi, thinking outside the box or rather on top of the box would seem second nature. Illustrated is a Jomon influenced covered box, futamono by Kako with alternating areas of carved pattern and ash glazed panels and interior. The lid is of simple, yet well carved wood with a rich pattern atop which is affixed an ash glazed knob. The rustic knob ties in well with the surface and curved decoration of the box all the while serving as a perfect addition to a rather decorative and functional pot. Though the use of a ceramic knob on wood is not necessarily unusual, Kako Katsumi has made excellent use of this device which ties together the ceramic and wood components flawlessly, detail after detail ending in the creation of the whole.

良い、悪いと醜い

I'll start out by saying when it comes to choosing, making and addressing knobs for lids, I am not batting 100%, that being said, I have become aware that fewer get it right than those who get it wrong. With knobs as well as other pots, addressing knobs can seem a bit like; the good, the bad and the ugly; there is no hard and fast rules or science to getting varying pieces parts to work together and lidded pots, like teapots are a good example of that. A good knob should be an extension of the lid and of the pot, it should compliment the overall form as well as preforming a function. Some knobs are organic and seem to just "sprout" from the lid and form and others are intentionally made to look added to the form, yet still are tied in to the pot to create a cohesive presentation.

I began thinking about this the other day after a fellow collector asked me my opinion regarding a Shigaraki mizusashi. The pot was very nice and was exceptionally well fired and by a big name potter but the knob seemed like an after thought and seriously detracted from the overall presentation. If you imagine a somewhat irregularly and organic pot with a small section of pipe like knob sticking out of the lid you can get the picture. It seriously looked out of place on the pot and I wonder what the potter was thinking when he made the lid and knob? I know it is easy to play arm-chair quarterback after a pot is made and recognize my own short comings but the only way to get these details right is to study, look at lots of pots and make even more and always remember the devil is in the details and everything a potter does is the details.

Illustrated is a picture a friend sent me of a very fine Iga mizusashi with the potter who made it; Kojima Kenji. This pot is from a December 2014 exhibition of Kojima-san's pots and it is obvious that the knob is an organic extension of both lid and pot. The knob appears to fulfill its functional requirements while making a visual statement as well, all in all a well conceived and executed mizusashi with a great keshiki and color.

SKILL SET

Using a bunch of photos I had taken a while back, I put together a short slideshow of the opaque ash celadon vase made by Bill Klock that was previously posted on my blog. I thought the slideshow would give a fuller understanding of the pot and possible make it a bit clearer why I am fond of it. I have always admired the innate and casual approach Bill has in making pots and I think it shows well in his pottery and in this slideshow. This particular pot has a subtle sense of gesture and animation that is missed in a simple, singular image. What also shows up in the slideshow is Bill's ability to stop when the pot is finished and fore go any fussiness or over manipulating the piece, sadly a talent I do not come by naturally and must work on each and every day in the studio. This pot stands on our mantle next to other pots they were gifts or traded for from other potters, all which stand as a constant reminder of the varying skill sets individual potters bring to their pottery.

The original post for this vase can be found here;
http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2011/05/on-road.html

VERTIGO

Having transferred more slides into digital images, I came across a large vertigo platter, about 22" x 20" that was made in the mid-90s at PSUC in Plattsburgh. I took some time and went back to work and fire with Bill Klock which got me out of Cleveland and into a comfortable and fresh environment for a couple of weeks. Based partly on Hitchcock and MC Escher I have made these pots for a long while now though I have no clue what ever happened to the large piece illustrated as greenware. The top piece is a smaller piece, roughly 11" x 10" and has four raised feet and is also capable of being hung on a wall. The depth of carving and right choices of glazing or firing, makes for a dynamic texture in a wide array of clays and glazes, temperatures and firing options, including reduction, salt and wood.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

I know quite a few painting collectors, of both Eastern and Western painting, who also collect pottery. Through a number of conversations, the discussion about prices inevitably comes up and one thing that is a common issue is the valuation of a painters work. Within these discussions one topic is always a common theme, just because a painters work brought an incredibly high price, all of his works are not necessarily close to that level. Picasso is an excellent example, his highest priced work to date was LA REVE which fetched a whooping $157.9 Million, yet his painting, prints/etchings and drawings can be had for a tiny fraction of that price. Understandably, there is a wide disparity of quality in any artist's work, especially over a long working lifetime and this greatly affects what a piece will actually be worth but for many, the name-game kicks in and seemingly every Picasso is now worth those incredible prices.

Not to belabor the point, but a diamond is an excellent example of diverse valuation. Being judged on the four Cs; color, cut, clarity and carat (weight), the judgment of a diamond runs wildly in terms of value. A one carat diamond could run between $1000 and $20000 depending on the clarity, color and cut though both appear about the same without the aid of magnification. The study of diamonds, like anything else takes years of study and hands on experience to the point where a collector develops a certain amount of comfort with making purchases on his/her own. Truthfully, all collecting is like that, there is a something of a learning curve that is aided with continued research, actual handling of the objects and seeing and understanding the masterpieces of a field. Pottery is no different and requires that same study and appreciation as does any other "collectible".

This same type of price valuation applies to modern Japanese pots. When one thinks of Arakawa Toyozo or Miwa Kyusetsu XI (Jyusetsu) one thinks of the highest end of the spectrum of prices where $100,000 is not at all uncommon. Truth is that both of these pivotal and important artists made works that can be collected for less than 1/10th of those prices. Rather nice chawan by Miwa Kyusetsu XI can be had for $10,000 and under and chawan by Arakawa have been on the market at around $10,000 for the past decade. The price is ultimately judged against the time period, quality and relevance the pot has to the body of work the artist has left.  I vividly remember on a trip to Japan seeing a wonderful Shimizu Uichi kannyu-chawan in an antique store for 2 million yen and just across the street a similar work, though nowhere near the quality of the other for 250,000 yen. It may seems more than a bit confusing, but when you really stop to think about the two piece relative to each other, one was a simple and pretty chawan, the other a magnificent and powerful example of a difficult style to perfect, in other words, a true gem.

Admittedly the whole pricing game can seem rather arbitrary and confusing. Upon closer inspection and in-depth study of the market and prices, values can be best understood by watching  exhibitions, gallery and auction prices. There will always be select pots or markets that command an absolute premium but ironically the valuation of most modern Japanese pots across similar markets have a pretty stable level. As to how to collect within such a wide diversity of prices and quality surrounding each potter, I think it is always best to buy the best you can afford but ultimately buy the pot that speaks to you most. In the end the choice is yours, would you rather buy a great pot by a good potter or a good pot by a great potter? For me, the choice is very clear.

Illustrated is an Oni-Hagi mizusashi by Miwa Kyusetsu (Jyusetsu) from a private collection. The wonderful surface, blushing and crawling create a magnificent landscape and a stellar pot.

Black Sheep; The Choice Is Yours

FULFILLED

Illustrated is a small Bizen hanging vase hosting a vivid red chrysanthemum purportedly made by Takahara Kunihiko (B.1946), brother of Takahara Shoji. The original owner bought the vase in Bizen at a studio and jotted down Kunihiko's name (no box) but the mark is not deciphered, so I am calling it a nice, functional Bizen vase with a large botamochi area on the face surrounded by ash and vivid flashing here and there. The pronounced throwing rings and strong attached lugs animate the pot which is conversant without its guest, but the pot has been brought to life, in essence fulfilled, by the rich, single chrysanthemum, which completes the vase both aesthetically and functionally. It is always nice to see pots in use, out of their storage boxes and away from their sterile displays as the potter most often envisioned them. I can not help but be reminded of the famous Yanagi Soetsu maxim; "beauty born of use" and for a vase, what could be better than a traditional flower?

"Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold."  (As You Like It) William Shakespeare

HANGING AROUND

I recently received a very nice Shigaraki hanging vase by veteran and master potter, Kohyama Yasuhisa. Though small in stature, the piece exudes a determined and timeless presence with textbook Kohyama markings made around the pot. About two thirds of the pot are covered with a wonderful pebbly texture with a variety of color variations running from charcoal grey to vivid fire color orange. This texture is a throw back to old Sueki ware and is a trademark surface created by exacting firing, wood type and a unique baffle system at the rear of the kiln that controls not only temperature but flow throughout the kiln. The serene fire color dominates the back of the vase and the surface is punctuated by melting burst of feldspar across the entire piece but most notable on the rear, resembling small set jewels amid the clay. This pot was made in the mid-1990s and is just another example of the diversity and beauty of Shigaraki in the hands of a potter who understands the tradition and possibilities of both the process and materials.

WHACKED

I haven't thrown teabowls in a while so I wedged up some clay, about 10lbs worth and set about throwing eight entirely different bowls. The illustration is of number seven just after it was whacked about a bit with a paddle and then slightly rethrow to fix the lip and overall symmetry. I like making pots this way and it allows unexpected things to happen when you decide each piece must be different than its previous incarnation as well as adding a bit more experience and a fuller vocabulary. I just put up a good compilation cd and try to move into auto-pilot mood without thinking too much about the mechanics and letting the clay help decide the outcome. I only wish it were possible to decide to create eight entirely different feet but I usually can only get through about three or four variations which includes a hand cut foot. I have a lot to work on this year and testing and feet are just a few of them.

"Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing."   Oscar Wilde

GBNF

I owned this salt fired flattened flask pot a long while back, simply gone but not forgotten. I had acquired it from an Atlanta gallery that carried Michael Simon's work back in the mid-90s. I did however have a dear friend who coveted this pot and as he was always quick to remind me, I had others, in a moment of generosity, it found a new home. I had enjoyed the pot with its strong posture, wonky, off kilter neck and defining lugs, but I was especially fond of the spiral, a device/design that I am quick to use and quicker to admire. As time moved on the pot went off to yet a new home, where I do not know which got me wondering, where are all the pots that have come through my hands? Last year, I reacquired a pot from Japan that I had acquired at a flea market in Massachusetts, traded to an Indiana collector who in turn sold it on eBay, I was the under bidder. Where it went from there and how it got to Japan is a mystery but what I am sure of is that there is no way to predict the trajectory once pots leave and even less as to where they will end up. In the end we all act as temporary curators, just ask the ancient Greeks or feudal era chajin.