There is a profound simplicity , honesty and
beauty to the "ordinary" pottery of the original mingei movement.
Pots that stressed utility and function married with common aesthetics that
everyday people could connect with. There is a profund The pots of Hamada Shoji, Kawai Kanjiro, Murata Gen, Sakuma Totaro
and Ueda Tsuneji (上田恒次) among others were
inspired and created to be used and continue on varying folk traditions that
seemed to be suffering at the hands of an unbridled output of industry and
mass production. The Mingei movement like the Arts & Crafts Movement sought
to bring the concept of the hand made back to the forefront as not to be
totally over run by factory produced goods. Though the mingei movement has its
proponents today, it was the first generation of mingei potters that helped launch
a revolution among potters and whose influence is still felt today.
Among the early mingei
potters, Ueda Tsuneji (1914-1987) stands out for the practical and elegant
works that he produced in shinsha, seihakuji, hakuji and neriage. He
apprenticed with Kawai Kanjiro and even studied wheel throwing with Hamada
Shoji for a time, but it is under Kawai that he learned the "studio secrets"
of the Chinese T'ang techniques of neriage and nerikomi. Though quite adept at
a number of styles, Ueda's mastery of neriage stands out as bold and rich
pattern integrated within his simple and common forms. Working in a variety of
techniques, his neriage created overall patterns as well as designs woven into form.
The illustrated mizusashi in four views shows how adeptly Ueda built pattern
that worked with and enriched each sides creating four associated but
individual views around the pot. Though neriage/nerikomi are common enough techniques today, Ueda mastered the
process through trial and error when few others sought to marry mingei pottery with long forgotten ancient techniques for everyday use and admiration.
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