THE WAY

Illustrated is a detail shot of a large Iga henko form by Kojima Kenji, a piece that was both exhibited and illustrated in a catalogue from November of 2017. Besides showing off the wonderful effects created during the firing, the simple and expertly crafted neck and mouth define the pot, add purpose to the form and show the way both in and the way out. There is a classic quality to the way the opening was formed that also creates a sense of mystery of volume, purpose and emptiness, I find these characteristics quite attractive in a pot adding layers of depth to the obvious qualities that immediately meet the eye. It is quite possible to get trapped in endless speculation regarding the vast, empty space being defined by the physical constraints of the pot and this added dimension imbues greater significance to the clay skeleton.

Aside from all of the contemplative characteristics, the neck and mouth of this pot seem to be a classic element of Kojima Kenji's work being seen on a number of his organic and geometric forms. The mouth is just perfect in execution and without fail fits the form to a T, neither too big, nor too small with just the right amount of depression around the mouth to fill to the brim with ash and create a rather stunning visual and metaphoric statement. I honestly think it will take some time to find a better use of geometry that is in play here, as Kojima has managed to wrest poetry out of geometry while defying both the ferocity of fire and unyielding laws of gravity. Well done!