This is the third Karatsu ware exhibition at the Kakiden Gallery, which I produce.6This marks the beginning of the next episode.

It all started with the call to "do something that can only be done in a group exhibition."

A distinctive feature of this exhibition is that participants create works based on a common theme.6The theme of this exhibition is "Returning to the Essence of Karatsu." Inspired by Kukai's word "gengen" (returning to the source), we asked the artists to consider "what is the essence of Karatsu?" based on the idea of returning to the source, returning to the origin.

There isn't just one right answer, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the results will be.

In addition, a special commemorative tea ceremony, "Karatsu," hosted by the artist, will be held in the tea room at Kakiden in conjunction with the exhibition.

The host for this event is Sajirou Tanaka .

In terms of refinement and art, Sajiro has deeply studied calligraphy, Chinese poetry, Nanga painting, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement, and in terms of character development, he has practiced Zen meditation at a Zen temple and received lay ordination.

In that sense, he was a great scholar who had mastered a wide range of artistic disciplines.

I'm also looking forward to seeing what kind of tea ceremony it will be.

Sakurei Okamoto 's work spans a remarkably wide range, from Japanese painted earthenware to Chinese Jun ware, with Karatsu ware being his main focus.

This "Underglaze Red Floral Pattern Faceted Vase" traces the origins of Karatsu ware back to pottery from the Korean Peninsula.

The beveled white porcelain is decorated with underglaze red painting of autumn grasses, a motif beloved by the Japanese.

Yasumoto Kajiwara 's "Karatsu Shino Tea Bowl" is very appealing because of its innovative design.

Beneath the white glaze, thick iron-painted lines are stylized and depicted both inside and outside the vessel.

This is a unique creative world of Mr. Kajiwara, who has challenged himself to create Shino-style works using clay from Karatsu.

Kiyomi Kawakami says, "Karatsu is a place where the beauty of Mino and the beauty of the Joseon Dynasty are fused together."

This "Black Karatsu Tea Bowl" is a hexagonal, drawer-type black tea bowl formed using a carving technique not found in traditional Karatsu ware.

The boldly left unglazed areas, the "hima" (fire marks), represent Kawakami's aesthetic pursuit of the beauty of negative space.

Masahiro Takehana 's work is a "white Karatsu sake cup" made of sandstone.

The slightly oval-shaped, distorted rim, combined with a single streak of glaze reminiscent of a tea caddy, creates an indescribably beautiful appearance.

The base of the go bowl and the texture of the clay are also in good condition.

It has a very elegant finish that goes beyond the realm of mere tableware.

Sajirou Tanaka is pursuing his own unique style of Karatsu ware, going beyond the traditional framework of Karatsu pottery.

Take a look inside the "Madara Karatsu Tea Bowl." You'll get a glimpse into Sajiro's profound world.

It's difficult to explain this in words, but Sajiro entrusts his thoughts to his pottery.

Taki Nakazato 's "Madara Karatsu Mizusashi" is a water container that exhibits a gentle, rounded shape.

Taigame-san's warm personality shines through.

The glaze is applied in a mottled pattern along the marks made on the potter's wheel, and ash falls onto this mottled glaze, creating a unique design.

This piece embodies the fundamental principle of Karatsu ware: a work that brings joy to those who use it.

・The 14th generation Tarouemon Nakazato has tried his hand at hand-molding pottery for the first time.

You can feel Tarouemon's playful spirit in this "Madara Karatsu Hand-Shaped Sake Cup."

The sides are beveled into an octagon, and ash has fallen into the interior, creating a deeply atmospheric and tasteful appearance.

Setsuo Hamazaki creates ceramic figurines and sculptures using clay from Karatsu.

This "Korean Karatsu Faceted Vase" also reflects Hamasaki's distinctive sculptural style.

A straw ash glaze is applied over the black amber glaze, and the black amber glaze flows over the rough clay surface, creating a strong sense of atmosphere in this piece.

Dohei Fujinoki 's "Karatsu Tea Bowl" is20This tea bowl has been nurtured by my tea ceremony teacher over the course of a year.

Perhaps that is the origin of Mr. Tsuchihira's tea bowl making.

The exterior, resembling a well-shaped kettle, is adorned with a flowing feldspar glaze, while the interior rim features a plum blossom pattern.

This is a uniquely Japanese world of beauty, where things are nurtured through use.

Raizan Yasunaga is a student of Sajirou Tanaka .

The "Painted Karatsu Flower Vase" has a unique, asymmetrical shape due to a tear in part of its rim.

Its exceptional form and the way the iron content has surfaced on the white feldspar glaze blend together beautifully to create a unique aesthetic.

This is a kind of sculptural beauty that only this person could create.

Naoto Yano 's "Karatsu tea bowl" is a refined, komogai-style tea bowl with a rounded base and no distortions.

The clay body and wood ash are mixed together, and a thin, transparent glaze is applied over it.

His style, which seeks to embody the essence of Karatsu ware, is straightforward and unpretentious, reflecting the artist's sincere approach to pottery making.

Keiko Yoshino crushes two types of sandstone from Hazenotani to make pottery clay.

Even though we refer to them simply as "mottled," the patterns vary slightly depending on the region.

"Hazenotani Madara Cup" and "Hazenotani Mishima Cylindrical Cup" are Karatsu ware that can only be produced in Hazenotani.

She creates her pottery with gratitude for nature.

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