ON COLLECTING REDUX

I originally wrote this a number of years back and it was posted on a friends website. Last year the website closed down so I thought it about time that I posted this up on my blog to give a glimpse into how I see collecting. I have had a fair amount of feedback over the years to this short essay and hope it is at the very least an interesting read.

ON COLLECTING

Why collect, why indeed! Is the presence of beauty and a “well made” object not enough of a reason? The honest truth in my mind, is the fact that I do not collect anything. This is not a mere exercise in semantics or some escapist clause looking to avoid the label of “materialist”. Rather I believe that my lifestyle is a dramatic and obligating choice to live with and around handmade or created objects.  This choice involves me in the daily interaction from this “things”, feeding off their inspiration, the care and curatorial duties that maintain them and the ongoing study of the history, context and creation of the “well made”.

From the time I was 16 and handled my first Michael Price California Dirk and began to decipher the mysteries of the Japanese Sword, I made a choice to have a personal space, an environment, that I could have a degree of control over. A personal space began to define itself as one, which allowed me an uninterrupted moment of calm, as well as being able to give me inspiration and clarity. This choice created a space that fostered a dialogue that I continue to strive for today. To this end most people label me a collector, this looses site of a path my wife and I have embarked. A way of living, into which we can retreat, a sanctuary of handmade objects from which we can replenish and nourish our spirit.

For over 20 years I have made a conscious choice to own little, but to live with objects we find to have a sense of import or consequence. Our house is the only controllable environment that we have, and we strive to create a sanctuary from many of the worlds harsher realities as well as the stress and pressures of daily living. Within our home and it’s few pieces of handmade furniture, prints, painting, pottery and metalwork, we are managing a space that allows us brief moments of tranquility and clarity. The passion for living this way, in and around objects we see as beauty, has become our reward and personal connection to the works and talents of many inspired artisans, both living and dead, with whom we may have an ongoing and rich dialogue.

“The question, is not what you look at, but what do you see?”, this quote by Henry David Thoreau crystallizes my belief in the constant dialogue between object and viewer. “Good work” is first and foremost about this dialogue. The primary dialogue takes place between the maker and his artwork; the secondary dialogue is between the object and the viewer. In an object that qualifies as “well made” the dialogue moves through the maker, into the object, and to the viewer in a manner that can not be explained, only felt. It is like standing in front of Monet’s Waterlilly paintings or other masterpieces, the message, though at many differing levels, is understood by all who come in contact with them. It is in my mind, probably this dynamic that defines the object and all other objects that are of a like nature.

It is this dialogue, a very personal and often solitary experience that has forced me to live the way that I do. In this dialogue, I am able to place an object within an aesthetic context, but also a personal one within my own environment along with my interests and experiences from music and film to food, drink and literature. By creating this dialogue, I can also help decide how I live, influencing moods, pursuits and my personal creativity in my pottery and paintings.

Choosing things to live with is a very personal and rarely objective experience. I am guilty of responding to objects that I perceive as “well made”, and consequently in time the level of dialogue I can have with them is diminished. These were the wrong choices, things that I become complacent with or bored of. Things to look for should be a constant source of information and emotion. Over time and exposure to new experience the greater the dialogue with a “well made” object becomes. At 20 and now at 40, my ability to maintain a meaningful and rewarding dialogue with arts and crafts has changed and matured. A knife, sword or other object owned at 20 can not maintain this level of dialogue a piece acquired at 40 would take. Today decisions are made slower, even though an object may speak to me immediately. With time my ability to see within the object, beyond its technical craftsmanship, into its nature to transcend mere formality and function, has developed and with new experiences will hopefully continue to do so. Today the works I am looking to live with reach beyond a high level of craftsmanship and artistry, looking to push beyond the conventional and add to the field rather than simply rely on those things, which have come before it.

Most objects that I respond to now are stripped of the superfluous, and stand firmly on the beauty of a distilled line. These objects, whether chair or sword, reach for that indefinable “something” well beyond the concept of function, existing form and the preconceived limitations of contemporary materials. Contemporary damascus and modern studio furniture are good examples of this new aesthetic.

The qualities of a “well made” object are subtle. Inherently they possess a mastery or near mastery of the material, process and art of the particular pursuit. The simpler a “well made” object is, the more complex its definition becomes. Artists and craftsman after this “well made” work, after gaining a level of technical virtuosity, strip away these binding issues and in the conscious and unconscious mind, struggle with the greater concepts of contributing to the art, context and the act of creation. When all works well, as dained by the gods, the luck of planetary alignment or some other act of serendipity, an object is born that bares it’s presence or spirit. I have encountered things, such as a Japanese teabowl of the 16^th century, which had enough presence to fill a large gallery space. For this reason, museums carefully arrange their spaces to avoid overwhelming their guest and burning them out. When these pieces are created, I believe a certain amount of the creative spontaneity and tension is captured within the work suspending a moment of the creation.

Spirited and empowered works, somehow possess a spark that captivates those who come in contact with it. It is in this way that the viewer and viewed share a dialogue, a moment, that unfolds or unravels the nature and intent of the object. It is through a sensitivity of concept, form, material and process borne of humble and noble materials alike, which establishes the criterion by which an art/ craft is defined and driven. Likewise those sensitive enough to perceive these subtitles are able to enter into a lifelong dialogue with the works. Irrespective of whether or not they own the work in question. “Well made” objects somehow contain an ability to open themselves and share their inner beauty, meaning and complexities with those sensitive enough, and receptive enough to initiate, maintain, and continue a dialogue.

Through the internalizing process of creation and sharing the created, both craftsman/ artist and collector are plunged into a moment that shares not only the present object, but also its foundation in the past, it’s context and presence in the moment and it’s vital role in pushing the art into the future. A “well made” object maintains this interest and dialogue. The dialogue is continuous and continues to develop over time. These objects constantly reveal themselves, the longer they are lived with and around. In time you think you know all the nuances of a piece, yet you are constantly made aware that there are things you discover with each encounter. By bringing new experiences to the table, as you grow, your perception of the details change and your insights become more acute. Every day a new dialogue emerges, this work is never boring.  A good piece, "well made”, will always meet your aesthetic and emotional needs.

So, why collect, this is the personal, individual responsibility that needs to be answered. There are many reasons and definitions for collecting or living with art and craft. In my nearly three decades of “collecting”, I have found that the dialogue,  curatorial responsibilities and a need to research and define an object’s context, have driven me into the esoterica of metal, clay and ink. I believe that this pathway has lead me to a more insightful and complete relationship with my environment and hopefully in time will help me become not only a better craftsman, but a more thoughtful and responsible “collector”.

CONVERSATION II

As I have mentioned before, as a pot comes through my hands, I try to take as many meaningful pictures of it as possible. This documents the piece and allows me to capture nuances and details that over time I may forget about. Having all of these pictures and a new slideshow program allows me to share pots in a different way than a single photograph providing a better perspective of the piece. Hopefully in this case, the slideshow will help capture the strength and power of the pot and give a hint of what it looks like in hand.

After searching around Youtube where I host these slideshows, I was rather surprised that there was not a single piece up by Tsukigata Nahiko and thought it high time to remedy that omission. This Oni-Shino chawan was a piece that came through here a while back and was a good representative piece by Tsukigata with a wide array of features, a strong kodai and very nice teapool, mikomi. I am particularly fond of the bright green accents here and there on the outside face of the chawan along with the rich pattern created where the chawan stood on wads as the bowl was woodfired in an anagama. There is a lot to see in the pot and the conversation one could have is a bit more fleshed out by presenting the bowl in a more kinetic fashion.

The original blog post for a similar Tsukigata chawan can be seen by clicking on this link; http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2011/10/conversation.html

HAPPY LABOR DAY

Happy Labor Day to one and all.

"Work is the greatest thing in the world, so we should always save some of it for tomorrow." Don Herold (1889-1966)

MIZUSASHI REVISITED

Realizing the movie feature on my camera is not of very good quality and the turntable I have been using is limited to under 2 pounds and is shakey at best, I decided to start making more slideshows to show off the features, surface, form, etc. of pots for the time being. I have been trying my hand at the videos and these slideshows to help you a fuller accounting of the pots I am discussing and that interest me, for some, this is the closest you can get to the pot and hopefully this will add to the conversation. Closest at hand was an Oni-Shino style mizusashi by Kajiura Soshu, so it was my first attempt using a new slideshow program. I am also attaching the link to the description of the mizusashi from my blog and the page where it is available on my Trocadero market place.  More slideshows to come.

http://albedo3studio.blogspot.com/2014/05/doorstep.html

http://www.trocadero.com/albedo3studio/items/1251356/item1251356store.html

BEFORE & AFTER

Illustrated is a before and after montage of a stoneware slipped and combed covered water jar that was later glazed in a rich, Albany slip based amber glaze. The surface of the pot has a variety of textures including where the white slip was brushed on and allowed to create areas of thicker raised slip along the brush marks. The combed circles have the added texture of having areas where the ameyu glaze built up to create much richer and darker areas. The form of the pot was heavily influenced by Korean pottery by way of Karatsu creating a substantial amount of volume in a pot that is not terribly large. Though it was my intention to make the pot just as it is illustrated, the before and after pictures give a sense of how the pot had to be made to end up glazed just the way it did. Though I am a huge fan of running, flowing glazes as well as ones that change dramatically in the kiln, there is something to be said about surfaces that come out just about as you see them in your mind's eye.

SHINZEN-ENSO

My cousin Marie, not Vinny, sent me this photo a bit ago and I was immediately struck by the thoughts and associations that came to mind as I was looking at it. My initial impression was that it was a somber, moody and evocative photo that had the potential for being the backdrop to a thousand stories. What also sprung to mind was all of the Japanese period ghost/horror stories like KWAIDEN, GHOST OF YOTSUYA, UGETSU MONOGATARI and of course the Japanese Macbeth, THRONE OF BLOOD. However, the more I looked, the more I saw an enso, a natural enso (shinzen-enso) and I keep coming back to that image and the myriad of aphorism that accompany them. There is a resounding totality to the enso and as more images and thoughts emerge, the easier it is to draw a correlation between moon and a simple circle of ink. In reality I think it is easy to see the moon as an enso, just look at the number of calligraphers who reference the moon when depicting them, it is as natural to do so as the moon and its variety of manifestations have touched man since the beginning of time. In particular, there is a favorite enso and calligraphy that is brushed along side;

"Is it a cake? A dumpling?

The ring around a bucket?

What does it represent? Tell Me!"  Nakahara Nantembo (1839-1925)

THE RIGHT SIZED CUP

I made a few sets of tokkuri and guinomi and after making them realized that the cups were all rather small in comparison to the tokkuri. taking my cue from nearly every ZATOICHI episode and a myriad of other chambara flicks, I decided to make a couple of sets with a bottle and a larger cup, to some I suspect, the right sized cup. Illustrated is a stoneware set of tokkuri/guinomi with hakeme slip under my saffron and a clear glaze. The bottle will fill the cup exactly two times and when you are imbibing five ounces of alcohol at a time, two may be just enough.

CONDITION

Let me start by saying that condition of a pot is not arbitrary or abstract, perfect is just that, perfect. The obvious chip or crack alters the original condition and also the artist vision and value. The question though is when is something that is not perfect, still perfectly acceptable in terms of condition? When you think of all the wood fired pots and scars, firing cracks, etc, how do you judge the condition of those pieces? If you delve further, think about all of the pots with serious firing cracks by Arakawa Toyozo, Tsukigata Nahiko and many others, including some of the heavy and thickly thrown pots of Suzuki Goro, these pots are perfect in the sense that the potters approved of the pot, put them in a signed box and determined that they were all the better for the scars won in a ferocious and harsh firing. It would seem the acceptance of such imperfection is further reinforced by the wabi-sabi aesthetics where such issues add to the austerity and weathered beauty of a pot, hence the beauty on kintsugi. It would seem that kamakizu are in fact the perfection of the imperfect style of irregular and intentionally contrived pottery.

In this vein, Sawa Kiyotsugu springs to mind. I have seen a number of his pots in which in the making it is obvious that he is building in certain self-destruct aspects. In the firing the pots often split, crack and in some cases they even fall apart after which he "reassembles" the pieces with glue and lacquer to create whole and new works. In a DVD put out by the Tohjiro magazine it shows several such pots, including a vase which he intentionally tears dramatically while building it and the pot literally splits apart during the fire and in the interview discussing this, it shows Kiyotsugu drinking from a badly split chawan. For Sawa Kiyotsugu, this type of imperfect is the perfection he is seeking out. How are we expected to accurately describe the condition of the pot now, especially considering it was the intent and purpose of the artist that the pot would literally need to be repaired after it was fired and prior to being shown and put in an attested signed box? It would seem condition is a bit more murky in describing than I had really thought.

Illustrated is a large and powerful Shigaraki mizusashi by modern phenom, Suzuki Goro. Suzuki has spent decades crafting his work to speak volumes about happenstance and a state of the casual. In the past two decades, he has made pots which he then breaks and repairs by rebuilding them into new and modern statements by means of the kintsugi technique. In this particular mizusashi, Suzuki started with a very thick slab of clay which he attached to a wheel head and altered it to create rhythm and motion, he then took a ball of clay and threw the top potion of the body onto the slab and slightly into the thick base. Once thoroughly dry the pot was fired in his wood kiln for Shigaraki affect and the overly thick base cracked during the firing. Whether by mad design, serendipity or just previous experience, the pot is recreated by the fierce and brutal crack and harkening back to the medieval style "Burst bag" mizusashi well know to us from books and museum shows. I find this pot to be a tour de force piece, it is both powerful because of it presence and it ability to make it out of the flames in one piece, the question that I have though is; what is the condition of this pot? The answer I think is that beauty and perhaps condition is in the eye of the beholder.

DIVERSITY

I am drawn to simple work, work built on tradition and individuality, works the have a lot to express in their simplicity. Mizuno Takuzo (Taizo) makes simple, yet elemental works that speak as much about the nobility of use as they do about pushing forward an aesthetic now many centuries old. The works of Mizuno are easily recognized despite the diversity of surfaces, textures and styles in which he works, it is the somber and practical manner that he infuses his pottery with that creates a recognizable style and draws the viewer into his pottery. The illustrated Shino chawan is just such an example blending subtlety, warmth and power into one simply thrown bowl, the decoration and glaze further adding to the narrative that speaks as much about an individual as it does the tradition from which it springs. There are a great number of potters who steer clear of tradition and function, I am glad to that Mizuno Takuzo is not one of those.

"I have truly come to love the heritage of Mino, including the rich ceramic clay under the village and the wonderful treasures left by our predecessors. Will I be able to challenge myself in the months and years left in my short life and without relying too overmuch on tradition? I want to do my utmost in my struggle with the God of Fire." Mizuno Takuzo

FLUFF & FOLD

I mentioned having studied with John Gill and it made me realize that I had a nice group of photos from my time at Kent State. In 1993 I had an arts scholarship to work/study at Kent State which was in a roundabout way how I was accepted there for the master's program in ceramics. While there besides (the late) Kirk Mangus the other artist present were Eva Kwong, Marie Woo and John Gill. Up to this point I was a devoted and unwavering thrower, but watching Gill fluff, fold, cajole and coerce sheets of clay into fantastical and innovative form was enough to create a chink in the armor. John has a unique approach to clay and how to work it which was a continuous exploration of texture and form. Having taught at Alfred University since the late 1980s he has had ample opportunity to pass on his enthusiasm for creation to a large number of potters. Illustrated is a group of his ewers recently finished and drying waiting for a bisque and a glaze bath.

I came across this artist statement by John Gill and thought it said far more about his work than most people could say; "In my work I try to utilize simple techniques. This allows for a freedom of ideas and process. Shape, form, use and color inform and question other possibilities. My work uses shape and form to inflate color. Working within the realm of function expands the potential. History of ceramics, painting and sculpture collide. Clay has a simple directness - it prints beautifully."  John Gill