Bizen ware, as unglazed, high-fired pottery, has been continuously produced since the Middle Ages and continues to be produced to this day.

The reason lies in the clay. Bizen clay has the finest particles of any of the Six Ancient Kilns, and is sensitive to sudden temperature changes, so the firing temperature must be gradually increased over time.

Soil is broadly divided into mountain soil and paddy field soil, but paddy field soil, in particular, is said to have the best texture after firing because it is a sticky, malleable clay.

That remains true even now.

This "BIZEN Six Artists Exhibition" features the work of six artists who will carry the future of Bizen ware.

Kazuya Ishida learned pottery techniques from Jun Isezaki, a Living National Treasure and a leading figure in Bizen ware.

Isezaki's eldest son, Koichiro Isezaki, became an apprentice to Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist living in New York.

Masahiko Kondo learned pottery techniques from Ryuichi Kakizaki, a leading figure in contemporary Bizen ware.

Takuma Takigawa's mentor, Hikaru Shimamura, is a leading expert in Bizen ware pottery.

Hiroshi Toyofuku learned pottery techniques from Fumio Kawabata, a holder of Bizen City's Intangible Cultural Heritage designation.

Yusaku Matsumoto studied under Hiroyuki Wakimoto, who pursued originality while building upon tradition.

Just as each of the six artists had a different master, their pottery styles are also unique, but what they all have in common is a sincere attitude towards working with clay.

Kazuya Ishida says, "I want there to be works that come about naturally by intentionally changing the environment and the people I meet, with myself as the central focus."

The "Abyss Tea Bowl" is made using natural porcelain clay sourced from a pottery stone mine in Mitsuishi, Bizen City. Cobalt is mixed into the clay to create a deep blue color, and the bowl is fired in a wood-fired kiln.

This results in a new kind of tea bowl, a blend of cobalt blue, porcelain white, and ash-glazed gray.

It's fair to say that Koichiro Isezaki has a solid understanding of design, having studied ceramics in the United States.

The "Dabushitsubo" (a type of decorative vase) has a crack in a portion of the dabushitsubo placed on top, and this crack serves as the opening.

This is not a conventional object with a closed vase opening, but rather an expression closer to the concept of three-dimensional sculpture.

The reddish-brown color is excellent, the overall piece has a sense of weight and a high level of craftsmanship.

The appeal of Masahiko Kondo's works lies in the plump, rounded curves of the clay.

Bizen water containers are naturally formed by shaping them from the inside out on a potter's wheel.

They then refine the mouth, waist, and lid, taking those naturally formed curves and considering the overall balance.

The way the air inside expands can be felt even from its form. This is Kondo's unique sensibility, different from that of his mentor, Ryuichi Kakizaki.

Takuma Takigawa creates captivating works by paying meticulous attention to even the smallest details of his craftsmanship.

Normally, Takigawa creates a prototype out of clay, makes a mold in plaster, and then creates the final piece based on that.

The "Tiger-Shaped Incense Box" is made using a mold of a tiger's head. The "Fox Borrowing the Tiger's Might Incense Box" is a nesting box; when you remove the outer lid in the shape of a tiger, an inner lid in the shape of a fox is revealed, making it a unique piece.

Hiroshi Toyofuku learned the natural kneading technique from his mentor, Fumio Kawabata, which expresses the texture and character of the raw clay as the essence of the clay.

Based on this natural kneading technique, he creates unique works by carefully considering the combination of surfaces.

The "Natural Nerikomi Water Jar" has a triangular opening and a pentagonal body, with a complex combination of flat surfaces.

Additionally, a red sash pattern can be seen on part of the flat surface of the body and on the triangular lid.

Yusaku Matsumoto says, "I like innovative designs, but basically I prefer simple shapes."

A Bizen tea bowl is a semi-cylindrical tea bowl with a sesame-like pattern that is well-fired and tightly fired.

Without trying to be flashy, this artist says, "I try to create works that people will say are somehow nice," and "I like old things," suggesting that she has a clear goal for the works she wants to create.

Currently, the "BIZEN Six Artists Exhibition" is developing its own expression from the "Shu" stage of "Shu-Ha-Ri" to the "Ha" stage.

In that sense, this is truly the "moment of takeoff."

This not only signifies breaking away from old concepts, but also includes the idea of taking flight from Japan to overseas destinations, and a fresh start after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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