Matsuo Basho's philosophy of haikai poetry includes the phrase "fuyū ryūkō" (unchanging principles and ever-changing trends).

It emphasizes the importance of respecting tradition while also incorporating new elements.

This concept of "unchanging principles and ever-changing trends" is a philosophy that applies to all forms of art.

"Fuyū" refers to something unchanging that transcends the old and the new of the times, and represents an unchanging truth.

On the other hand, "trends" refer to things that change according to the times, meaning that you cannot accept the truth unless you understand the flow of the times.

Therefore, haikai cannot exist if either of these elements is missing.

In other words, the fundamental principles of "unchanging tradition" and "trends" are one and the same, and Basho called this "the sincerity of elegance."

The same can be said for pottery.

Ceramic artist Kiyoyuki Katou says that by eliminating unnatural elements one by one, he will encounter the natural form he is looking for.

The same applies to the act of writing; the power of words lies in using them carefully and respectfully.

Art can ultimately be described as a form of prayer.

I see this "prayer" as something "unchanging."

This is the world I finally reached after seventy years.

Now, let me introduce you to "Shigaraki - A Poem of Clay: Twelve Exhibition III - A Genealogy of Prayer."

Sumiko Aoki"Chawan Kiseto" depicts the landscape of the heart, based on the theme of "preparing for a journey of the heart through tableware."

While the pandemic took away their freedom, it also became a good opportunity to re-examine what they truly wanted to do and what they truly needed to do.

This tea bowl was born out of such circumstances.

Satoki OonishiHis "Shigaraki Water Jar" is an oval-shaped water jar, a style he excels at, but by creating ridges on its curves, he creates subtle variations through shadows and glaze flow.

The water jar features the bright, distinctive color of Shigaraki ware, covered with a pale green glaze, and two streaks of glass-like glaze flow inside.

Sueo OkudaAs I gaze upon "Standing in the Wind," I can picture a person earnestly praying to calm the storm.

That unwavering spirit eventually transformed into a rock, becoming a robust and resilient form.

It's quite heavy for a flower vase, but the phrase "With absolute unwavering resolve, moving towards a new era..." embodies that meaning.

Shuusaku KanzakiShe usually prefers small tea bowls, but this time she chose a large one.

This is because a small tea bowl is not suitable for the gesture of joining hands in prayer.

The Shigaraki tea bowl is designed to evoke the image of someone drinking tea with their hands wide open.

The sides develop a kiln-fired transformation, the interior accumulates a glaze, and it's easy to use a tea whisk on it.

Teppei KomakiThe "Carbonized and Diagram Painted Vessel" inherits the form of pedestaled vessels such as Sue ware, and could perhaps be considered a type of ritual vessel.

The Ikuha pattern is also a design that carries magical or ritualistic meaning.

"Exploring and expressing ancient memories" is a theme that this artist has been exploring for some time.

Yoshihiro SakoThe "Shigaraki clay sphere" is made of Shigaraki clay that was laid to rest under a large sawtooth oak tree.

This year was a bumper crop of acorns, so some got into the torn sheet, and I kneaded that soil, formed it into a sphere, and baked it.

This artwork transforms prayers entrusted to the earth into an eternal form through firing.

Nozomu ShinoharaThe "Shinogi Tea Bowl" is a work created using Shigaraki clay containing large stones.

Since he couldn't mold the clay by hand, he first hammered it into a lump, hollowed out the inside, and then cut out the outside to make a bowl.

This is a Shinogi tea bowl, crafted by following the form the clay demands, and then firing it.

Rakusai TakahashiThe artist said that the Shigaraki flower vase was inspired by a scene from Shigaraki that he encountered during a morning walk.

The patterns, created by hammering with a piece of lumber to evoke the atmosphere of moss-covered rocks wet with spring water, have produced an unexpected effect.

The contrast between the green glaze on the top and the black charring on the bottom, as well as the pocket added for holding small flowers, are interesting features.

Tomoko Takama"Kasoka" is a work that expresses how flowers change as hope, prayer, and feelings are imbued between them.

That's probably why the outer layer has a double-layered structure.

They want to unearth and preserve the accumulation of daily experiences and feelings through decoration.

Kyuu Tani"Shigaraki Long-Necked Vase" is a work that was exhibited at the "Thriving Japanese Ceramics" exhibition at the Mashiko Ceramic Art Museum in 2020, and is a major work in which Tani challenged himself to reconstruct his awareness of Shigaraki.

The unique Shigaraki color, combined with the ash, creates a complex landscape that subtly changes over time.

Aiko TsumoriThe "Seated Cat Girl" is a work created with the image of a small Buddha statue for prayer in mind.

At Tsumori's house, there are plump and adorable elderly cats, and the children's hands and feet are also plump and cute.

This is not Ryusei's seated statue of Reiko, but rather Tsumori's seated statue of a cat-girl.

Kazuya FurutaniHe said he has finally reached a point where he can enjoy making tea bowls.

This "Shigaraki Kiln-Fired Tea Bowl" was inspired by Koetsu's red Raku tea bowl "Otogozen" and was shaped by hand.

The pottery is fired twice in a wood-fired kiln, resulting in a varied and dynamic appearance with the surface changing color from green and blue to white, black, and yellow.

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