A message for the "MINO" exhibition

Among all the utensils used in the tea ceremony, nothing captivates the heart of a tea master as much as a tea bowl.

The foundation lies in the palm of your hand.

Just as one would scoop water with both palms to drink, Chojiro's handcrafted teacups fit perfectly in the palms of one's hands.

for example,<赤茶碗銘「無一物」>Its appearance is random yet possesses an overwhelming presence.

This tea bowl embodies Rikyu's philosophy, which Chojiro then sculpted, and its opposite is...<志野茶碗銘「卯花墻」>That is the case.

Freed from the ideals of Rikyu and approached with a free spirit, his distorted forms are unparalleled in the world.

When I look at the negative space and empty areas in Japanese art, I feel that the form is only truly complete when human imagination enters into those spaces.

Therefore, the form of Japanese art is imperfect and based on subtraction.

This demonstrates how, within the history of the tea ceremony, tea ceramics established a unique form specific to Japan.

And it would be fair to say that contemporary Mino potters are carrying on that tradition.

For example, even if the material changes from earthenware clay to porcelain clay, the free spirit that flows through it remains unchanged.

With young ceramic artists from Mino now active both domestically and internationally, this exhibition aims to showcase their ceramics from Mino to the world.<美濃>InsteadIt was named that.

Furthermore, a tea ceremony will be held by the exhibiting artists.

They have previously attempted tea ceremonies in various locations, including the "Experimental Tea Ceremony" at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.

While tea bowls can be used individually, tea ceremony utensils are traditionally meant to be used in combination.

In the world of the tea ceremony, it is said that "the host enjoys 70% of the experience, and the guest enjoys 30%." This refers to the host's pleasure in welcoming guests, as the host's taste is judged by the arrangement of tea utensils, making it both enjoyable and challenging.

Many of the artists exhibiting this time are people who studied at the Tajimi City Ceramic Design Institute, and I hear that Keiji Itou , who was an instructor at that institute, will also be making a special appearance, not with ceramics, but with calligraphy.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of creative ideas they'll come up with for their tea ceremony. Now, let me introduce the tea bowls by the artists who will be exhibiting.

Mr. Tsubusa Katou<青白磁面取茶碗>This piece, with its unique sensibility, honestly brings out the charm of the porcelain clay, and its unconventional form is only possible because it is celadon.

Kei Wakao 's<米色瓷茶碗>While technically based on Chinese designs, the sculptural form is unique to Mr. Wakao, creating a sense of tension.

Hidehito Itou<練彩茶碗>The colors are applied in a spiral pattern by the rotational motion of the potter's wheel, and he says it expresses "a gradient of colors where something from within unexpectedly comes to the surface, representing the beauty of a sunset or Jupiter."

Ryoutarou Katou 's<引出黒茶碗>This collection sincerely engages with Momoyama-era tea ceramics, which form the core of Mino ware, while exploring the role of tea bowls in the modern age, and each bowl is crafted with heartfelt care.

Norikazu Ooe<茶碗>Given that the artist himself enjoys outdoor tea ceremonies and makes small tea bowls and tea caddies that fit into tea boxes, it's no surprise that these tea bowls embody both functionality and beauty in a straightforward manner.

Shinji Suzuki 's<紫志野茶碗>Apparently, this particular shade of red was created by chance while trying to achieve the characteristic crimson color of Shino ware. For the artist, Shino ware is "profound, never boring, and fascinating."

Akio Niisato<光器茶碗>This technique is a unique evolution of the Hotarude (firefly pattern) technique, and is constructed from three elements: a refined form, a sense of speed rising from the clay, and graphical pointillism on white porcelain.

Kentarou Kawabata 'sThe artist works with the inherent properties of porcelain clay, such as its tendency to sag, move, and break, shaping it by hand. By applying cinnabar glaze and fragments of colored glass to its surface, the artist breathes life into the piece.

Takurou Kuwata<白金彩茶碗>This work reconstructs the aesthetic sensibilities of the world of the tea ceremony through Mr. Kuwata's unique sensibility, and it is characterized by free thinking that is not bound by old fixed ideas or preconceptions.

Kouichi Mori (Art critic and director of the Japan Ceramic Society)