Hello everyone, how are you doing?
The new exhibition by Yoshinobu Morimoto has been receiving a wonderful response.
As we have been preparing for this with Morimoto-sensei for quite some time,
I am truly happy to hear such kind words from all of you.
Now, for this exhibition, I would like to explain the works by categorizing them by theme.
First, I will explain the Muromachi period series.
The Muromachi period was an era when large kilns were used and pottery was extremely popular as everyday household items.
Shards of Bizen ware have been excavated from as far north as Hokkaido to as far south as Okinawa, indicating how popular they were.
For this series, the pieces were created to emphasize their aspect as tools for the common people of the Muromachi period,
practicing the technique of "not deciding on a front side, but intentionally stacking them casually for firing."
Regarding the construction, the seams from the coil-building method were left visible,
and no excessive decoration or finishing was applied to the form, keeping them as raw, utilitarian vessels.
A signature decoration of the Kamakura to Muromachi periods is the wavy comb pattern.
The seam is visible on the left side of the photo, reflecting a design that isn't overly refined.
The original "tobiguchi" (kite-beak) small jar was slightly larger and was reportedly used for items like oil.
It is said that they were stacked haphazardly like this during firing, with no thought given to the resulting "scenery" (aesthetic patterns).
When stacked, you can see how the scenery connects across the pieces.
Morimoto-sensei mentioned that by intentionally leaving the finish to the natural firing process, the raw essence of the clay was brought out.
Raw clay has a wide range of variation, and the natural "hidaki" (fire-cord) patterns have a subtle, unforced beauty.
Furthermore, because the clay is so raw, it takes on an indescribable charm when wetted.
Works from the Muromachi period series (used in this article)