I love this work by Japanese potter Kako Katsumi. Katsumi began his career making tableware in the kyo-yaki tradition of his forebears. The birth of his daughter led him to make an "itegoi "kiln- a one chambered wood fired kiln. The work that started coming out of the new kiln was a marked departure from the traditional tableware.
"One cannot talk of Kako without mentioning his "ittekoi" kiln. Fired with wood, it is small enough to fire alone, without the help of others. Thus in practicality it is similar to an electric kiln, or perhaps even closer to the small anagama kiln that the Tsujimura family uses. Since it is small yet high-powered, he can fire a load in approximately 20 hours. This allows Kako to fire once every two weeks, sometimes even less. It is this fast pace which allows for Kako to hone his skills to perfection, perhaps more quickly than his contemporaries. from an article on Robert Yellin's website
I love how these works combine monumental strength and form with warmth. There is a softnes and gentle sensitivity in the attraction of the surface that brings a push and pull response.
The form is saying"Don't touch...Serious Art" and the surface is saying "Come on...Just stroke me, just a little...."
2 comments:
Oh WoW!!! Love it!
I want to thank you for sharing Kako Katsumi's work with us. The direction of his work has particular significance for me.
Post a Comment