Now days when I think about modern Iga I think about the traditional and evolving works of Kojima Kenji who adds just a bit more to the Iga tradition on a daily basis. There is however quite a bit more to Kojima Kenji and in fact a number of the tradition based potters in Japan and that is diversity, a diversity most likely pioneered by past potters like Kitaoji Rosanjin, Kawakita Handeishi and more modern potters like Tsujimura Shiro where just about everything is at play and the boundries are meant to be pushed up against and broken if at all possible.
Using some illustrations (assembled as a collage) from a few catalogues I just wanted to show just a few styles that Kojima Kenji has embraced to rather good effect ranging from Shino (Choseki), Iga Oribe, Hikidashi, Iga-Oribe and a number of other techniques showing a range from rather playful and inviting to somber and contemplative in nature. If you look at these six works closely enough there are some commonalities that link these pieces to the potter especially if you are fairly acquainted with his work from form and posture to the way the lip (kuchi-zukuri) and kodai are addressed. I realize I could have picked a variety of different modern potters but in the end I do have a large group of catalogues on Kojima Kenji, have handled more works by him than any other Iga potter excepting Furutani Michio and to be honest, I just enjoy the way he handles clay, Iga or otherwise.
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