- 白備前茶盌／2023
Syo Fujita
藤田祥
Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1978. After studying art in general, he entered the world of pottery and studied under Kazuya Hashimoto. He continues to create works that add creativity to everyday life, conveying the appeal of the "beauty of utility" of historic Bizen ware as well as the strength and potential of Bizen clay.
At its core is respect for the Bizen clay, which has a history of nurturing the life of all living things and accepting death, as well as its weight and strength.
As is well known, clay is not a single material. Rocks, pebbles, fine sand, mud, volcanic ash, and the remains of plants and animals all overlap and form layers, solidifying the earth beneath our feet. Bizen clay, with its complex appearance due to the interaction of various components, is beautiful simply when excavated. In order to express its natural appearance, pebbles and impurities are removed by hand, and the clay is shaped entirely by hand without any kneading process, as in the "Strata" series, and the "White Bizen" series, in which only clear ceramic stone mined from 156 meters underground in the Mitsuishi district of Bizen City is fired unglazed in a wood-fired kiln. Each of these works is driven by an endless interest in clay.
"White Bizen," which has been attracting particular attention at recent exhibitions, is characterized by a sheer whiteness that vividly betrays the image of Bizen ware. White Bizen was once created by Edo-period Bizen potters and the Okayama domain in an attempt to revive the industry, and the strong impression is that it was used enthusiastically by Mimura Tokei, a master of fine craftsmanship who lived through the Meiji and Showa periods. With respect for the "white" pioneered by these predecessors, he is creating works that revive it in a new form using pottery stone that can only be obtained with modern mining techniques.
The work depicts an iceberg resting on the sea, which, in nature, combines the transience of changing shape every second with a rugged, dignified strength. It is intended to convey that even though Bizen clay seems to have been fully mined, there is still much more potential hidden within.
At its core is respect for the Bizen clay, which has a history of nurturing the life of all living things and accepting death, as well as its weight and strength.
As is well known, clay is not a single material. Rocks, pebbles, fine sand, mud, volcanic ash, and the remains of plants and animals all overlap and form layers, solidifying the earth beneath our feet. Bizen clay, with its complex appearance due to the interaction of various components, is beautiful simply when excavated. In order to express its natural appearance, pebbles and impurities are removed by hand, and the clay is shaped entirely by hand without any kneading process, as in the "Strata" series, and the "White Bizen" series, in which only clear ceramic stone mined from 156 meters underground in the Mitsuishi district of Bizen City is fired unglazed in a wood-fired kiln. Each of these works is driven by an endless interest in clay.
"White Bizen," which has been attracting particular attention at recent exhibitions, is characterized by a sheer whiteness that vividly betrays the image of Bizen ware. White Bizen was once created by Edo-period Bizen potters and the Okayama domain in an attempt to revive the industry, and the strong impression is that it was used enthusiastically by Mimura Tokei, a master of fine craftsmanship who lived through the Meiji and Showa periods. With respect for the "white" pioneered by these predecessors, he is creating works that revive it in a new form using pottery stone that can only be obtained with modern mining techniques.
The work depicts an iceberg resting on the sea, which, in nature, combines the transience of changing shape every second with a rugged, dignified strength. It is intended to convey that even though Bizen clay seems to have been fully mined, there is still much more potential hidden within.
