FINER POINTS

I am constantly in awe of those details, the finer points that tell you so much about a pot and to be quite frank, about the potter. The detail shot of this Shigaraki henko is imbued with a strength and power which blends a medieval aesthetic with a sense of stream lined modernism that few are capable of instilling in their work. Admittedly, the firing process should take some of the credit, but it is the potter, in this case Furutani Michio who made the clay, worked out an idea and manifest it in this plastic material. Through his exceptional knowledge of kiln building, built a kiln, well numerous kilns, choose the right combinations of woods and out of all of this experimentation, effort and expertise comes pot after pot that was only a spark, an inclination before the potter intervened. I think there is magic in the works of potters like Furutani Michio and through small glimpses in to the details of their works, you can isolate the wizardry and alchemy that perpetually fascinate.