A message regarding "TANBA - A Tea Ceremony Pottery Exhibition by 10 Artists II"

Tamba ware is one of Japan's representative ancient kilns, originating in the late Heian period.

For 800 years, we have continued to produce pottery without interruption.

In the Middle Ages, unglazed stoneware with a bright green natural glaze was produced, while in the early modern period, pottery was made using a variety of decorative techniques and glazes.

Last year, the Six Ancient Kilns (Seto, Tokoname, Shigaraki, Bizen, and Echizen), including Tanba, were designated as Japanese Cultural Heritage sites. The reason is that these six ancient kilns (high-fired stoneware) represent the most quintessentially Japanese pottery.

Medieval Tamba ware was technically influenced by Tokoname and Shigaraki ware, but because the clay and kilns were different, Tamba's unique glossy, vibrant green pottery was born.

In other words, Tamba ware can be defined as pottery that embodies the climate, culture, and regional characteristics of Tamba.

When the natural beauty of Tanba and the artist's inner nature (sensibility) resonate with each other and form a single entity, the unique character of Tanba is born.

Such endogenous development is essential for the creation of pottery.

However, this logic does not apply to all Tamba ware artists.

Shinsui Ichino is a leading figure in Tamba ware tea ceremony ceramics. He has long created sculptural works such as "broken flower vase." This piece is attractive not only for its form but also for the firing process, including its crimson color and charring.

Masahiko Ichino 's "Tanba Akadobe Benten-hi" is a work that focuses on the clay of Benten in Tanba. The reddish surface of the clay, which is characteristic of Akadobe, has impurities resembling black sesame seeds that have surfaced, creating a natural pattern of red and black.

Masahiko Imanishi 's "Black Tamba Tea Bowl" is made by creating a base using mountain clay, then applying a black clay coating, and firing it in a climbing kiln. It is a black Tamba tea bowl born from Tamba clay and a climbing kiln.

Iyo Oogami 's "Karajishi Tea Bowl" is a work that skillfully blends the sculptural and decorative aspects of his style with the functionality of a tea bowl. The four legs that replace the footring are very realistic.

Masafumi Oonishi 's "Tamba Flower Vase" expresses the vibrant strength of Tamba clay, while he reflects on the thoughts and feelings of potters of the past as they touched the clay and continued firing their kilns.

Katsumi Kako 's "Tamba Tea Bowl" is an ash-glazed tea bowl made from Tamba and Shigaraki clay. The ash glaze is quite different on the front and back. Even within its refined form, one can feel Kako's accumulated experience over the years.

Ichiji Shimizu 's "White Glazed Bowl" is crafted using a rough-textured clay rather than the typical Tamba clay, and is shaped into a octagon by hand-molding and trimming. The bold pattern of black and white glaze is captivating.

Takeshi Shimizu is a noteworthy artist who won awards at this year's Contemporary Tea Ceremony Ceramics Exhibition and the Mino Tea Bowl Exhibition. This "Salt Kiln Water Jar" is a work that reflects on the Edo period in Tanba, when glazed ceramics flourished, and has been transformed into his own creation.

Nobuhito Nakaoka 's black-glazed "flower vase" is a bold design, resembling a larger version of a traditional Japanese dish called a "wari-sansho" (split sansho pepper). I'm very curious to see what kind of expression it will show when flowers are actually placed in it.

Peter Hamann 's "Celadon Water Jar with Insect-Eaten Leaves" is a refreshing water jar made of celadon porcelain. The "insect-eaten leaves" pattern carved on three sides of the body expresses his unique take on wabi (a Japanese aesthetic of simplicity and transience) and has a playful touch.

Take this opportunity to enjoy the diverse and unique aspects of Tanba today.

Kouichi Mori (Art critic, Standing Director of the Japan Ceramic Society)