TANG POEM

Simple in design, execution and decoration but regal in its bearing, this Tang dynasty influenced melon shaped chaire exudes a sense of luxury and brings to mind the lyrical poetry of that period . As a combination of his father's work, historical archetypes and his own personal expression, this chaire by Kato Kobei VII is a visual gem. The fluted form has rich aubergine tones that define the form vertically while the whole is cloaked in a soft and tranquil amethyst glaze with accents of a stark yellow and green which calls the eye to this sancai influenced pot. Kato Kobei VII has blended not only Chinese and Japanese elements in this distinctly Japanese pot, but has put his own stamp on the style in the manner in which the elements of this chaire were created. Though an amalgam of time and geography, this pot has a sense of being distinctly ancient and modern at the same moment.

"When Cold Mountain (Han Shan) is cold

Ice seals the rocks

Storing mountain-green

The sun shines forth

The ice melts a while

And on this warmth

An old man survives." (An early Tang Dynasty poem by a mostly anonymous poet)

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

When I think of the Japanese art of presentation, I think of this book I have of the work of Rosanjin in use. In one particular picture there is this wonderful table arranged with serving pieces made by Rosanjin with food that was all prepared by some famous chef (sorry, I forgot his name). From simple tempura, sashimi and sushi to elaborate and exquisitely prepared dishes, the presentation is phenomenal. In the case of Rosanjin, the presentation is the completetion of his work, the pottery acts as the canvas and is completed by the food which is presented as the art. It is in the Japanese art of presentation that I am constantly overwhelmed by in both its simplicity and originality. In the art world, how a work of art is presented has many corollaries to that of food. While In Japan I remember seeing a Chojiro chawan in a box from the middle 17th century that was also accompanied by boxes by successive owners including the modern black lacquer box that contained all of the boxes which neatly fit in to one another, 6 in total, like one of those sets of famous Russian matryoshka dolls.

One of the things I admire about Japanese culture is that act of presentation that is seen throughout daily life. From the use of plain to fancy furoshiki wrapping cloth(s) and elaborate mizuhiki knots to the more ceremonial nature of ikebana to the tea room with decorated tokonoma with scroll and flower vase and precisely arranged chadogu; the arts of presentation are alive and well. Specific to pottery, there are pots with multiple boxes, the outer box many times lacquered in a rich black or vermillion lacquer, the kiri boxes bearing the hakogaki or the potter, subsequent owners, dealers, chajin, priests and sometimes ordinary collectors. Together with boxes, many pots have tailored bags, shifuku made of old, rustic or fancy textiles and this practice is obviously not limited to chaire, though it is often times the chaire we most associate with shifuku. Case in point is the illustrated package, a very rich presentation that includes a black lacquer box to house the interior kiri wood box with hakogaki. Inside the kiri box is a wood container, with its own shifuku that houses the chaire within its rich, regal purple crepe silk bag and along with the piece are two shifuku that can be used at various times of year or at differing tea gatherings. All in all a rather luxurious presentation that begs the question, "what's in the box?".

CAN I GET A ROLL WITH THAT, PLEASE?

One of the things that I really like about both old and modern yuteki-temmoku chawan is when the glaze terminates in a thick, gravity defying roll. The glaze roll is both visually pleasing and tactilely engaging adding a definitive characteristic to the area of the kodai.  Illustrated is the kodai of a chawan by Takahashi Wasaburo who I have written about before. Combining his study with iron specialist and Ningen kokuho, Shimizu U'ichi and Shigaraki veteran Ueda Naokata, this chawan is glazed in a thick, dark, rich yuteki-temmoku and the roll of glaze meets up to the wet hi-iro that covers the foot except where the pot was stood on wads during the wood firing. The crisply cut foot fits the chawan well as does the mixture of fat glaze and the effects of the wood kiln to create a unique and well executed kodai that pays tribute to both of his former teachers and his inescapable reliance on tradition.

THE CAT IN THE POT

In truth, not much to say, I put the pot on the floor to dust and turned my back for an instant and Khan decided to help clean the interior.

CARVED CADDY

Over the years I have seen a number of these carved, three piece tea caddies, both simply executed and carved to varying degrees. They seem rather prevalent during the Meiji Period and continue to be carved to this very day. Of all the ones I have seen, this one strikes me as a bit unique being heavily carved over most of the form with deep relief flowers with virtually no damage despite the fragile nature of some of the carving. Carved out of a single piece of wood, the caddy is wrapped, seductively, in flowers and leaves that bring the eye entirely around the form and give a rather pleasant feel when held in the hand. I am not sure as to the utility of these particular tea caddies in formal chanoyu, but as an experiment a while back, I placed loose tea inside and put it up on a shelf for nearly two months and the tea that emerged were still fresh and perfectly usable. The combination of beauty and utility makes the piece that much more special and a wonderful object to enjoy on a shelf or on the table ready for tea.

SOMETHING FOR MONDAYS

It has been a rather cold and overcast day here in the central Mohawk Valley. One of those days where it is a bit difficult to get things in motion. It also was a day where I had to get some things packed up with the assistance, or should I say interference of my new helper, Khan. I find days like this a bit challenging and thought what better way to lighten the mood than a musical interlude. Take a moment and enjoy a snippet from  the Richard Lester masterpiece; A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM. This will give you an insight in to the potential of hired help.

RISK-REWARD

Drawing on inspiration from both the astrological symbol for Pieces and the Asian yin-yang device, the opposing fish design found its way on to a large serving bowl. Using black, grey and white slip, I roughed out the design over the black slip using ink, sponged on grey slip and then trailed the white to bring the design to life. The clay used is terra cotta and I must admit that I  am very influenced by old English slipware in my work, but where possible I add whatever modern quirks that are possible. Though I  am usually confine myself to black or white slip, over the years I have also used a variety of colors, including; red iron, leaf green, turquoise, bright yellow, blue and a red created out of a German imported stain. Slip work is immediate, there is no time to be cautious, there is no going back if you make mistakes, it is the risk-reward aspect of making slip ware, together with its connection to a technique that is nearly two millennium old that makes it both enjoyable and rewarding.

KOH-TSUBO II

I was thinking about the small Kohyama Yasuhisa Shigaraki ko-tsubo that I posted the other day and it got me thinking about my stay with him back in 1993. As I was thinking about my time at his studio and home, I had the feeling that somewhere there was a picture of sensei throwing a similar ko-tsubo and after digging through files, I found the picture in question. Though the ko-tsubo on the wheel is a bit larger at about 8" tall or so, the form and especially the neck/mouth are spot on to the one illustrated. One of the hallmarks of a good design is the ability to create that design in a variety of sizes and this is a skill that Kohyama excels at. Many of his pots vary from small to large though based on a "standard" form or design making for an immediately recognizable style that points directly to the maker; it is quite possible that Kohyama's early study of design with Sakuzo Hineno (1907-1984) has something to do with this, but I think it is also about the years of developing a style and direction that makes fullest use of the Sueki inspiration and his creative voice.

PITFALLS

There was a time, back when the internet was new that I used to bid on pots on eBay. Now days, I am reticent to do so for a wide array of reasons including but not limited to; poor packing, pots not as described, photos so muddled you can not make out the details, hidden damages, mis-representation and the occasional unethical seller. I am not saying this is the totality of the market, but how many Not-Hamada, fake Arakawa Toyozo and Kato Tokuro do you need to see to realize the venue is the wild west. Provided you enter the process with a hearty dose of skepticism and a good library, at the very least, you can mitigate some of the pitfalls. I will say however, as all collectors know, despite excellent photos and a great description, you just don't know what the pot will actually look like until you have it in hand.

What brings this up is that, despite my better judgment, I bid and won a pot for what seemed to be a very good price and that was described as and I quote; "FLAWLESSNESS". I make my Paypal payment and four days later, the pot arrives from Japan. Though the packing was not great, it was adequate, but what was not adequate was the description and photos which did not reveal, the pot was chipped in a number of spots. I reported this to the dealer immediately sending along several good photos with the details highlighted. At first, I was told that it must have happened in transport, this is when I point out that a) there was no debris in the packaging and that b) once you knew what to look for, the chips were noticeable in the photos he provided in the auction, next came the gambit. As a Westerner, I just did not understand Shigaraki pottery and this was just part of the "original manufacture" of the vase. I then assured him, that having studied in Shigaraki and collecting Shigaraki and Iga pottery for nearly 30 years, I thought I had an inkling of what was and was not acceptable. What had happened was not a kamakizu or kiln flaw, but rather a good knock to one of the "ears" attached to the vase resulting in said chips. After nearly 20 emails back and forth through differing times zones and all carefully recorded through eBay, the seller finally agreed to refund my money. Though I would have been exceptionally happy to own the pot in pristine condition, I guess at the end of the day, all is well that ends well.

KOH-TSUBO

Illustrated is a rich, little Shigaraki ko-tsubo by pioneer and innovator, Kohyama Yasuhisa. For me, his work never fails to impress, whether older traditionally inspired teaware, shuki or cutting edge "object". This great, little pot at just 4" tall tells a nearly complete story of Kohyama's work; Sueki inspired form, anagama fired, lyrical posture, simply executed and cut decorative lines, rich hi-iro  and just the right amount of traditionally fired surface. Immediately recognizable as his work, Kohyama has spent his life dedicated to the infusion of ancient Sueki pottery with the energy and spirit of the present day. Each pot is a gift from the marriage of earth and fire which Kohyama Yasuhisa officiates over with a lifetime of experience and a very sharply defined aesthetic.