PARADIGMA

Now from time to time I have been accused of sometimes having rather alternative, even peculiar taste, in food, music, film, books and even pottery to which I always retort; "it is not peculiar, it is particular". I do know in various conversations, more often than not, there are those who are not huge fans of Kumano Kuroemon or Tsukigata Nahiko to name just a few, works that are on the fringe or are created by ecentric characters excercising their inner voice. I don't think this is necessarily any indictment of my preferences but rather a clear indication that there is a wide array of tastes, preferences and interests out there and this is just exactly what it takes to make the world go round.

One such alternative interest of mine is the works of Ota Minoru who made pots that he saw in his mind's eye and are rarely dedicated to a traditional ideal or archetype rather defining his own persuasive alternative paradigm. Ota's pots embody a sense of the casual, loosely thrown without a concern for many of the more practical aspects of pottery making which creates a body of unique and very idiosyncratic and often "quirky" in a good way pots. Case in point is this oddly thrown and distorted Shigaraki mizusashi which is obviously well fired with a rather traditional style surface but the pot is anything but. Looking just a bit like it is in the perpetual act of collapsing, this mizusashi has a wonderful posture and presence and I can see it easily being used in the tea ceremony or adorning a shelf. The lid easily compliments the body of the pot with an easy to use knob and covering the opening in its own non-chalant manner pronouncing that this piece is both a bit askew and distinctly purposeful all in the same breath.