Today, we are introducing Hideki Yanashita who is flourished as a ceramic artist today. 8 years since after he left Tokyo and moved to Otoha, Mie prefecture.
Tell you the truth, he is a friend from my school days.
He had some drinking anecdote during the student days, he was such a dauntless guy and got a job as a interior designer.Some time passed, we were somehow settled in each area, I've heard he quit the designer and start again to be a ceramic artist. At that time, he had already left Tokyo and moved to the pottery.
As a starter, I begin with asking him why he quite the designer so sudden.
He said, "I was expecting to do something that I can do through the life."
He became as famous as to hold his own exhibitions today but i think his works express himself well. In short, all his works are honest. So to say works of few decorations. Design incorporates with function.
Now le tme briefly explain about Japanese pottery.
Pottery is common in various parts of Japan.
The beginning is to be said that people spent their time for pottery while they cannot be farming during the winter time.
He was also from one of the area that people spend their days in that way.
To date back even further, there was a "Yayoi ware" as a roots.
"Yayoi ware" which was one of the main stream of Japanese pottery, met with another roots of the Ishikawa prefecture, which has its origin in China, does establish the origin of pottery of his place.
The reason why the pottery is popular at there is quite simple, this place was a great area of clay production.
Today, he produces both "Iga" and "Shigaraki" pottery.
"Iga" pottery was originally created as a tea set for the local lord who loved tea much. Little aside, Yanashita himself enjoys tea ceremony, too.
For "Shigaraki" pottery, this has been originally developed as a grain ware. And then, it began to be used as a tea set. There is a side story saying some one pick up the Shigaraki ware on the street and used as a tea set, that's how it began to be used as it is today.
Today, we do not really distinguish Shigaraki with Iga any more.
"I do respect the past masters, however i have to change them as time goes by. Creating the same is sometimes suffering"
"I am not creating the object. All the pottery has to be used in the daily life, that is what the pottery is all about."
I have asked how does he make pottery actually.
"At the first, i will determine the clay blending with different particles, its combination is original."
"Let say for the usual jar size, it takes 4 days for the clay aging. Then drying. After that, takes 3 days for the burn in a kiln.
There is a reason to take as long as 3 days for the burn, in order not to get the pottery stick to the burning table, I have to insert the clay between each pottery and table.
"It takes 2 days to turn up the heat in a kiln and 3 days, through the day and night, for the burn. After that 3 days for the cooling down."
Imagine, it takes as long as 11 days for the kiln work. Pottery is not very cheap actually but i did get convinced by hearing the story behind.
Temperature, how ash round and gathered in a kiln, pressure.
Pottery sitting close to the wood in a kiln get covered with ash, this would work as glaze and shines once it burnt.
Putting pottery aside from the wood will bring the pottery like earthenware.
The part ash stacked would get burnt and this will be a pattern.
When putting the pottery into a kiln, every piece of affection is considered. Even while putting the fire, heat is adjusted all the time. But still cannot forecast the finishing perfectly. Bringing pottery out of the kiln is the most exciting moment for the artist.
"Some case would be done as imagined, but some would be more than imagined. "
"It could never get done as intended, that's the beauty of the pottery."
Tell me about your next goal.
"What I am trying now is to go one stage further in terms of burning.
Firstly, I need to put more practices. When clay and ash attach adheres, it would become metallic surface by the chemical change, this is called raster, it requires high pressure. I would like to take deep dive on this reaction. To achieve this, i need complete management on temperature and time. There is no one who put this attention to the raster in this world."
What do you think is the most important for the pottery?
"In essence, clay is everything. However, even with the best clay, we do not see the outcomes until putting it into the kiln."
Dishing with his works really brighten the food itself.
Ditto drink.
Eating, primitive desire and his works, remind of earthenware, its primitive taste.
Looking forward to seeing my old friend and his works in future.
