Friday, November 18, 2022
BAKED IN
I
have written about the maker of this Shigaraki mizusashi, Ota Minoru on my blog
before. I am intrigued by how he uses and works clay and how he interprets
older forms with a unique and naïve style. As with this mizusashi, his pots
have a casual, quirky and often wonky appearance made of clay with lots of
feldspar which punctuates the pot like stars in the sky under the wood fired
surfaces adding ash and hi-iro to the pot like a painter adding dabs and fields
of color to his canvas. Beyond the feldspar and ash, this mizusashi is well
articulated in marks from the potter both horizontally and vertically adding
movement and dimension to the form, marks that are spontaneous and fierce like
the fire that it had to survive. The posture and attitude of the piece exudes
confidence and strength collected over years of working in clay and infusing it
into each pot made. I have to admit, I have a fondness for pots that combine
spontaneity, naiveté and honesty all in one package and this Ota mizusashi
clearly has all those attributes and character all baked in.
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