UPSIDE DOWN

A while back I put up a couple of different post in regards to a sculptural Bizen piece by Kaneshige Kosuke, son of the Ningen Kokuho, Kaneshige Toyo. I think it is fair to say that when thinking of Kosuke it is his sculptural body of work that initially springs to mind and as you flip through TOH #45 that is all that is illustrated in the book about this artist-potter. I think it is also safe to say that among sake enthusiasts and chadogu collectors that Kaneshige Kosuke has also create a wonderful array of guinomi, tokkuri, chawan, mizusashi, vases and quite frankly, everyday using pottery. Looking at his body of work and the pioneering aspects of his sculptural pieces I can see why these pieces have attacked  the lion's share among critics but his wheel thrown pottery stands out among a large field among the Bizen tradition and are quite easily at home in daily use, for the odd and rare ceremony or occasion or up on a shelf to help define and even influence one's environment.

Illustrated is a low Bizen chawan with a slightly wobbly posture and seductively undulating lip with a line creating the slope to the foot that echoes the movement of the mouth and creates a nice sense of movement. If you notice, there is a drip running up the bowl on the left which visually defies gravity but is actually the tell tale clue that this chawan was fired upside down. I think as you move away from thinking about Kaneshige Kosuke's Bizen sculpture, this is not a bad chawan to look at; classic lines, traditional yet modern form, nicely articulated surface and a lift off the foot and shadow line that are pleasing to the eye and the soul not to mention a wonderful sense of calm. It may not be a sculpture but following in his father's footsteps, but the way Kosuke uses clay and firing can be seen in pots just like this chawan combining a feudal tradition with concerns and aesthetics of a new millennium.

NO ORDINARY GREEN

When I first saw this chawan and the accompanying photos, there was no real specific potter that sprung to mind and at first glance my inclination was that it would pan out to be a Hamada school bowl. I was far a field in my assessment as the bowl is actually by Bizen master and Ningen Kokuho, Fujiwara Kei who was known to have made kohiki, Hagi, Oribe, Shino, Temmoku and Seto-guro among other styles and honestly the form threw me way off base. After doing a bit of thinking about it, it dawned on me that this form is not that different than some of the more classical Bizen chawan he had made so in the kantei process this should have lead me closer to identifying the actual maker. Secondly, Kaneshige Kyosuke, son of Kei and younger brother of Yu made a number of Oribe pieces with exactly this glaze so this really should have been the tip off that the teabowl was no oridinary green bowl. It is easy to rush to quick judgments regarding makers, age, quality and style of pots but I need to remember,  there is always more to learn and sometimes slow and steady will win the race.

"Hesitancy in judgment is the only true mark of the thinker." Dagobert D. Runes (1902-1982)

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Thrown, formed, paddled and scrapped, this squared kinuta mallet vase is a classic form made by the late Bizen potter, Kaneshige Michiaki. Though very similar to a mallet by the same artist that I put up a while back, this one is close but shows some differences that distinguish the forms and the surfaces show similar styles of creating fire color, the effects however paint a different picture. This well conceived exercise in geometry crisply intersecting showing a great deal more control in squaring up the base and neck. The four singular planes define each side allowing for the kiln to create surfaces that wrap around sharp edges and create a more harmonious vessel. The flashes of fire color within the resisted areas and the fine white stones peaking through the clay add to the visual appeal of the pot which could only be improved upon with a well thought out floral arrangement to complete the vase.

For Wednesday, BRAND NEW DAY by Sting;

MOBIUS LOOP

Reminding me a bit of a Mobius loop, this undulating form was captured in clay by Bizen master, Kakurezaki Ryuichi. Creating forms that are on the edge of what clay can do and their physical limitations due to gravity and other pertinent laws of physics, Kakurezaki captures strength, power, mobility and often times grace in his pots that few can duplicate. This elegant and looping chawan appears to be in perpetual motion and is blanketed in a soft, velvety surface of ash that helps accentuate the bowl. Using decades of experience and his mastery of clay, Kakurezaki creates pots that combine elements of contemplation, poetry and nobility and fires them with the attention a painter brings to his canvas, I think this simple and lyrical chawan proves my point.

BEAUTY IN USE

There are a large number of pots, both Eastern and Western that make me think of the Rosanjin concept that a pot is complete when it is being used. There is beauty in use as can be seen in this photo from a catalogue on the late Bizen Ningen Kokuho, Fujiwara Yu (1932-2001) as the magnificent color of the rectangular tray is made all the richer with the red crab and green garnish. The light coating of ash highlights the edges and corner while the potent fire color has painted the tray for with captivating tones of  reddish-orange and purples spotted with drops of charcoal grey and even blues. I can imagine this is a striking piece without the window dressing but it is in its use that this tray really comes to life and fufills the purpose and aesthetic that it was created for. As Yanagi put it, beauty born of use but in this case it is the beauty in use that tells the fullest story.

 

 

YU-TV

Here is another short NHK promotional video for a special on Bizen Ningen Kokuho; Fujiwara Yu (1932-2001). Following in his father's rather large footsteps, Fujiwara Yu produced a large number of exceedingly well fired pots as well as a body of large tsubo of varying forms as well. Enjoy the video, a great place to brush up on your Nihongo at the same time.

KO-BIZEN

When I think about Bizen, there is modern Bizen and there is what is known as Ko-Bizen, which means, simply, "old Bizen". Though you can look at the term Ko-Bizen on face value, I tend to look at it as a tradition that set the standards, style, techniques, firing and quality for Bizen rather than just referring to pre-modern pottery. Pots today are definitely made in the Ko-Bizen tradition though they are modern pots, in essence they build on all that was old to continue that unbroken thread to the present day. For Kitaoji Rosanjin that was a great part of his pursuit of pottery, especially in his Bizen, Shigaraki, Iga, Oribe and Shino works. He would study the great works of times past to understand the nature, intent and spirit of those pieces and do all in his power to instill the same in his own work though allowing his voice to the surface of the pot. The illustrated Bizen chawan is certainly one of those works that straddles the temporal fence between the past and the present (at the time it was made). This streamlined, purposeful bowl  creates a powerful posture and is wonderfully colored with rich purple to brown fire color and a face and lip painted with ash, adding to the landscape of the pot. What Rosanjin managed to create is a chawan that absolutely speaks to the past while maintaining its place as a 20th century pot.

"That is why I turn to the works of the ancient masters and seek to read their hearts. Nothing makes me happier than to discover, little by little, that I can read the heart of some ancient potter - for I too want my work to be a reflection of the heart. When I succeed in creating a piece straight from the heart, I can't help slapping my knee and thinking "This is how it was for the ancients!" *

(* A quote from THE ART OF ROSANJIN  by Cardozo and Hirano)

SQUARE DEAL II

I have seen square form kinuta vases before, mostly older Chinese pieces and late Edo and Meiji Period Japanese examples. The coil built and thrown and altered examples seem to be mostly 20th century as far as I can tell, though I am open to evidence to the contrary. The modern "squared" kinuta are seen frequently, but not exclusively in Hagi and Bizen though in each case the forms differ quite a bit and move as far afield from the archetype as possible, maintaining enough of the characteristics to be recognizable. The illustrated Bizen vase was made by Kaneshige Michiaki in the 1980s. It was thrown and the form squared up using ribs and scrapers to define the geometry of the piece. The creative process is written all over the form where scratches add unintentional decoration to the pot that is completed with hi-iro, ash and bota-mochi areas where flame and ash were denied access. I find the totemic form exceptionally stoic and determined with a purity that is defined by lines and planes that are casual and weathered; the perfect blend of the Momoyama aesthetic and modern design.

MAKING, NOT COPYING

Like most pottery, there is Bizen that I do and don't like, then there is Kaneshige Michiaki (1934-1995). Michiaki was an outstanding potter who made a subtle yet substantial contribution to Bizen-yaki prior to his all too soon departure. Son of legendary Bizen potter, Kaneshige Toyo, brother to Kosuke (b. 1953) and father of Iwao (b. 1965), Michiaki's career was filled with acolades and milestones including his contact with many of his father's circle of friends, such as Arakawa Toyozo and the highly influential Kitaoji Rosanjin and Isamu Noguchi at the family kiln. Kaneshige Michiaki was also named Okayama Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property in 1990. In the end, what set Michiaki apart from the throngs of Bizen potters was a distinct vision and firing style that is obvious when looking at his body of work or a singular pot. The way in which he handled clay, created vessels and fired his pottery speaks of a potter who made full use of the past while striving to add something to the tradition amplified by his own powerful voice; from guinomi to tsubo, his individuality is echoed in his pottery.

"Tradition (dento) is sometimes confused with transmission (densho). Copying Momoyama period (1568-1615) pieces is transmission. Producing contemporary pieces incorporating Momoyama period techniques is tradition. Tradition consists of retaining transmitted forms and techniques in one's mind when producing a contemporary piece. Tradition is always changing. A mere copy of an old piece has not changed, it is nearly the same as its prototype of three hundred years ago. Tradition consists of producing something new with what one has inherited." An excerpt from an interview with Kaneshige Michiaki conducted by Robert Moes and published in MODERN JAPANESE CERAMICS IN AMERICAN COLLECTIONS.

Illustrated is a squared and pierced Bizen vase by Kaneshige Michiaki. The rich purple-red fire color surface is highlighted by ash which has settled on the vase during the intense firing adding to the geometric design repeated through the sides and top of the vessel. The structure appears just a bit visually precarious, yet in reality the form is bolstered by the creative experience of the potter and the heat of his Bizen kiln.

VIRTUOSO

Since we were on the subject of wood fired, this particular chawan is woodfired². Dominating the field of Bizen ware, Kakurezaki Ryuichi has blazed a trail that connects the old to the new and as such, has influenced a whole generation of Bizen potters. This Kuro-Bizen, black Bizen chawan shows the contemplative aggression that he is known for, creating angles, cuts, facets and deliberate planes that catch and deflect the ash circulating around his nobori-gama kiln. There is a virtuoso's blend of formula and improvisation in Kakurezaki's works, repeating forms more in theory than in actuality, each is unique even before it goes in to the kiln.  

Through a combination of experience, determination and serendipity, this chawan shows the (creative) aggression of both potter and fire to its fullest. Dipped in a black engobe, the bowl faced the flames and ferocity of the firing and has survived to tell its tale of how it was created and how it was fired. The long tamadare tendrils licking back from the face of the bowl and the black surface wet with ash, have long since melted and fused to near perfection on this masterwork by Kakurezaki. With trial and error, Kakurezaki is constantly on the move forward, cutting his way into brave new ground for Bizen-yaki and in fact, modern Japanese ceramics.

(Photo provided and used with the permission of a private collector.)

BIZEN BUNRIN

Illustrated is a classical and quintessential Bizen bunrin style chaire by Ningen Kokuho; Yamamoto Toshu (1906-1994). This rounded, small apple form chaire is a wonderful example of what Yamamoto is so well known for and highly regarded. This chaire is typical of his work, with vivid flowing tamadare ash running down the face of the piece. In fact, many of Yamamoto's pots are immediately recognizable because of his particular and unique style of firing as well as his use of simple, honest forms of which this noble bunrin chaire is a great example. Yamamoto decided to apprentice under Kusube Yaichi later in life which may explain his attention to detail in form and line which was first rewarded with Prefectural Intangible Property in 1954 and then with Juyo Mukei Bunkazai in 1987. Yamamoto Toshu like a small handful of other potters, was able to carve out a niche within the Bizen pottery and add an eloquent and thoughtful voice to a tradition that has a long and varied history.

"Eloquence is logic on fire." Lyman Beecher (1775-1863)

A QUIET DIGNITY

I will start out by apologizing for not having any pictures to go along with this post, but I am respecting the wishes of the owner to keep the photos to myself. That out of the way, I recently had the opportunity to handle and spend time with a magnificent Fujiwara Kei Bizen chawan. Though a bit on the small side, its rounded form, exceptional potting and firing created a piece well beyond its measurements. Fired upside down, over half of the exterior surface is covered in cascading ash, tamadare, that all moves up to the lip, the remainder of the exterior and interior are covered in a beautiful, even serene purple hued hi-iro sheen with wisps of smoky trails where the fired had caressed the bowl. To some I am sure the bowl may seem out of step with what is modern Bizen, but the quiet dignity of the chawan exudes an inescapable eloquence that few potters can muster. What also can be mistaken for simple throwing is in fact a lifelong dedication to creating pots with a seemingly naive honesty that was present during the days of the Momoyama era. There was a time when this style of potting ushered in a second renaissance, similar to the Momoyama times and lead by the giants of the 20th century; men like Fujiwara Kei, Kaneshige Toyo, Arakawa Toyozo, Nakazato Muan, Miwa Kyuwa and a few others lead a resurgence of ideals that had been long lost. This particular pot and potter managed to create a new voice for Bizen that will act as a standard for centuries to come.

"True eloquence consists in saying all that is proper, and nothing more." Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)

ALL IN GOOD TIME

Illustrated is a phenomenal Bizen chawan by legendary chadogu specialist, Kaneshige Sozan (1909-1995). This bowl is a perfect chawan; beautiful landscape, simple utilitarian lip, definitive front and back, fine mikomi and perfect Bizen kodai, in essence, it rarely gets better than this. Kaneshige Sozan was the younger brother of Ningen Kokuho, Kaneshige Toyo and spent a great deal of his life as a pottery nomad, maybe even as an eccentric, wandering from kiln to kiln and working with various other pottery masters including Ishiguro Munemaro. Sozan's works were eclectic and it wasn't until later in life that his genius at traditional Bizen pottery became apparent. Many ceramic scholars and critics consider the chadogu of Kaneshige Sozan to be among the best made of the 20th century and by looking at this chawan with its magnificent cascading ash, it is easy to see why. Though he could have been seen in the shadow of his older brother, it is exceedingly obvious, that Kaneshige Sozan cast his own shadow over the pottery and potters of Bizen.

"All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare."  Benedict Spinoza (1632-1677)

SETTLED IN

Illustrated is a  Bizen mizusashi by veteran Bizen potter, Masamune Satoru (d. 2006). The surface is a diaphanous blend of hi-iro and flashed ash deposited on the pot with areas of shadowed resist creating halo like effects. This is another one of those pots who's charm derives from the posture and baring of the piece, it gives one the sense that it is all settled in and just ready to be used. Though high fired, this mizusashi gives the impression that it has a softness to the piece, a product of the rolling curves created when the pot was first thrown and then subjected to the  scrutiny of  the fire.

BACKFIELD IN MOTION

I like Bizen pottery, probably as much as the next guy, but the one thing about it is at a certain level, much of the pottery looks about the same. Much of Bizen appears to be the same forms, same surfaces with very little to distinguish it from other potters and kilns. Enter a select group of Bizen potters who never fail to disappoint or impress with their exceptional knowledge of firing, wonderful forms and great and varied surfaces. One potter who fit into this group was Ningen Kokuho Fujiwara Yu (1932-2001). Though a lot of his work is on the very pragmatic end of Bizen-yaki, Fujiwara Yu is best known for his well fired tsubo and hanaire, some of which have withstood the extreme crucible of wood firing.

Illustrated is a truly exceptional hanaire by Fujiwara Yu. The surface is alive baring witness to the extremities of the firing; the ash is suspended in motion as if someone just hit the pause function on the remote. Obviously fired on its belly, the botamochi areas are surrounded by liquid tamadare runs, some ending in monumental drips of vitrous brown glass. All in all, a rather totemic form with a surface any collector or potter would be more than happy with.

POSTURE

As much as anything about pottery, I love the posture of a good pot. It conveys attitude, mood, presence and purpose. One of the reasons I am particularly fond of Japanese pottery for tea ceremony is that the pots are created to help the narrative of the tea ceremony. They aid in setting the visual tale that a chajin (tea person) wishes to express through their skillful use of pottery, kakejiku and floral arrangement.

The illustrated pot is a predominantly hi-iro Bizen vase by the late Bizen potter; Masamune Satoru also known as Kengo (d.2006). This pot captures the movement of softly thrown clay and conveys an animated spirit and casual and relaxed posture that few can achieve. The neck is next to collapsing, yet made it from greenware to fired pot and compliments the sagging base which was intentionally distorted. The key to any manipulated pot is to have the contrieved appear uncontrieved. This pot succeeds where others may fail.

BOTA-MOCHI

As most of you know, wood firing doesn’t allow for many mistakes of line or form. The pot either is or isn’t a wood fired pot. I think back to my first wood firing, anything was fair game for going into the kiln. The results were the beginning of my education with many of the pots looking horrible and should have never been wood fired, rather fired with glaze. Over the years as potter and collector, I have studied what makes a good wood fired pot using the Western and Eastern potters as examples from Kirk Mangus and Jeff Shapiro all the way to Kakurezaki Ryuichi to Kaneshige Toyo, Ningen Kokuho.

Illustrated is a classic, sturdy and simple form that stands the test for wood firing. This simple cylindrical Bizen vase was made by Yoshimoto Tadashi (b. 1944) who studied with legendary potter, Kaneshige Toyo. This vase exhibits a variety of ash effects from goma and sangiri to the vivid bota-mochi areas of bright orange bare to the clay body. This vase has it all and reminds me of one of those computer generated visions of some galactic far away nebula “burned” on to the clay surface. From my perspective, this pot was made to be wood fired…..

KAKUREZAKI RYUICHI

There has been much written about Kakurezaki Ryuichi (b. 1950), so I will skip most of the details. He studied with Isezaki Jun, current Juyo Mukei Bunkazai for Bizen-yaki and set off to establish his own kiln in 1985. Many consider this move to have ushered in what is now referred to as Heisei Bizen (the Heisei era started in 1989). Though Kakurezaki’s pottery is decidedly Bizen in tradition, style and firing, his works are unlike any other Bizen potter. His works challenge the concepts of classical and traditional form and it is really not easy to put Kakurezaki’s work within the Bizen tradition.

By looking at this chawan, it would seem that Kakurezaki has an intuitive geometrical formula running through his being. Many of his forms, this chawan included, shows a wonderful sense of proportion and planes and angles that work so well with how he fires his kiln. His works play with visual geometry and challenge the concepts of classical and traditional form. When you combine his constructed vocabulary with his unique approach to firing, it is easy to see why his works can easily be picked out of a crowd.

The illustrated chawan is an excellent example of his intense and successful firing technique together with his broad planes that are accentuated by the running ash. The kodai is cleverly cut to address the issue of geometry and in this case, mimics the form of the bowl. No matter how you look at it, this is a cutting edge and dynamic chawan.

NEW BIZEN

Whenever I think about Bizen pottery today, I invariably think of the Isezaki family. Isezaki Yozan(1902-61) was the father of Isezaki Jun, Ningen Kokuho of Bizen pottery and his brother Isezaki Mitsuru, Prefectural Living National Treasure of Okayama and Jun’s son is one of the quintessential faces of modern Bizen pottery; Isezaki Koichiro (伊勢﨑 晃一朗 ).

Isezaki Koichiro (b. 1974) has had a rich learning experience having studied with his father (Jun) as well as, being in proximity to his uncle (Mitsuru) and his father’s apprentice Kakurezaki Ryuichi. Koichiro also went to the US and studied with noted wood fire potter Jeff Shapiro. This blend of eastern and western traditions is evident in his pottery and firing technique which is helping add a new definition to modern Bizen pottery.

Much of his work is similar in style to the pictured chawan. His chawan in particular, have been stripped to the bare essentials of form and are nearly minimalist in execution. His work is not only visually engaging, but is seductive in the hand, soft in it’s lines, evocative and enticing. To finish the bowl, the wood firing has left rivulets of ash cascading down the teabowl further accentuating the height and curve of the piece. The foot is also deceptively simple in it’s finish and the roving lip calls you into the interior. Overall this chawan is a minimalist tour de force.

HI-IRO

One of the most incredible features of yakishime (refering to the the natural and unglazed pottery of Shigaraki, Iga, Bizen, Echizen, Tamba and Tokoname as well as others) is when the surface appears caught in a moment of time. The ash or flame makes for a keshiki landscape of frozen motion. The drip of ash suspended in time or the hi-iro (fire color) showing the shadows of other pots and pads, these make these potteries visually alive.

When I think of hi-iro, my mind often wanders to the pot illustrated, a large tsubo by a member of one of the large Tamba families, Ichino Etsuo (市野 悦夫). It is thrown from a fine grained clay and the form is precise and noble and the hi-iro decoration shows the pathway of the flames as they licked this pot during the firing. It resembles the wispy pathways of a planetary storm of some alien world. The hi-iro is caused by volatizing fumes within the flame and they lay on accidental, incidental decoration of where the velocity of the fire caresses the pot. Though somewhat serendipitous, the potter must know his clay and kiln and how to fire the kiln for the pot to come out so lively. The beauty of yakishime pottery is the evidence of the flame that says something different to every pot and every viewer, a symphony in flame, burned onto the pot.

(Ichino Etsuo Tamba tsubo used with permission from a private collection)