AN IMPRESSION

If I am not mistaken my first exposure to the works of Kojima Kenji was back in 1992 or 1993, there were a few of his pots at a small gallery in Shigaraki, perhaps a dozen or so. If memory serves me as I have no photos, there were a couple of tokkuri, several guinomi, a small vase and two chawan and all were quite well fired but due to financial constraints and appointments with several other potters I left empty handed but an impression was made that continues to this day. After my intitial exposure and the advent of something called the internet, I began to see Kojima Kenji's works more frequently and over the last two decades he has become one of my absolute favorite wood fired potters where his pursuit of Ko-Iga and his exploration of form and surface has made his pottery stand out among many others in his field. 

  Illustrated is a rather fine, fairly recent Iga mizusashi by Kojima Kenji that is a perfect example of what I am talking about; a strong, sturdy form filled with purpose while keeping an eye on the aesthetics of Ko-Iga ware that he is rather passionate about. Perfect in scale, the mizusashi was thrown and then slightly manipulated to create a rather honest, rustic form where less is more with the exception of a few classic Iga (and Shigaraki) Xs added around the form as well as large lugs on opposing sides. The front of the pot is covered in a wonderful array of wood fired effects including where the form sat in a bed of charcoal during the firing to various glassy ash spread across the mouth, shoulder and patches of the exterior. The rear is all about tsuchi-agi and a hint of wetness caused by the flame and fly ash fuming the surface interupted by marks of the potter in the form of clearly visable Xs incised in to the clay. The interior floor of the mizusashi has a nice coat of ash that sparkles when the lid is removed to see the mysterious contents within and the foot is flat and smooth punctuated by a group of rich, emerald green bidoro droplets. I think it is rather clear what draws me to the work of Kojima kenji and this mizusashi is a rather classic piece that echoes through time back to the feudal Ko-Iga tradition that speaks to the soul in a rather distinct and resounding tone.    

More of this mizusashi can be seen over on my Trocadero marketplace;

https://www.trocadero.com/stores/albedo3studio/items/1483667/BOLD-KO-IGA-MIZUSASHI-BY-KOJIMA-KENJI