Continuing from last time, here is my interview with Takeshi Kaneshige.
Me: "So, is there anything you particularly enjoy making? I often hear from younger artists lately that they find making tea bowls enjoyable."
Takeshi: "Hmm? Everything! (laughs) Everything is fun to make. I guess I just love the process of making things, huh?"
Me: "Is that so? (laughs) You must really love creating. Pottery functions as a part of your daily life; it feels like you're living alongside the clay. Conversely, is there anything you find difficult to make?"
Takeshi: "Difficult, or rather, things that require a lot of focus, are tea ceramics. Even then, it’s still enjoyable, though..."
Me: "I see. There are rules for tea ceramics, after all. Whether you choose to follow them or not is another matter, of course."
Takeshi: "That's right. It's about how you face certain constraints within yourself and how you digest them."
Me: "This is just my own impression, but you seem quite meticulous, Kaneshige-sensei."
Takeshi: "Hmm... Whether I'm actually doing it well is another matter, but I create with the user in mind. When you do that, it all converges within the rules. And since it’s boring to be the same as everyone else, I try to find a way to incorporate originality within those confines. In the end, 'following' the rules is what leads to 'change'."
Me: "Ah, I see. So 'following' them ends up being a form of 'breaking' them in a good sense."
Takeshi: "Exactly. Besides, if you want people to see the clay and the firing, I feel it’s better to keep the form as straightforward as possible."
Me: "When you put it that way, it’s true that without unnecessary information, you can have a one-on-one conversation with the clay."
Takeshi: "Yeah. Well, I’m still a work in progress, though (laughs)."
Me: "Simplicity really does have such depth."
Takeshi: "Yeah."
That's all for this time. Thank you to everyone who read along.
By the way, the photo this time is of Kaneshige-sensei's hands.
I love looking at the hands of pottery masters.
One thing they all have in common is that their hands are quite large.
It's not just that they're big, but they have a unique presence.
And they have a certain 'seasoned' quality to them.
Rather than just being aged, they look like smooth, round stones found in a riverbed.
They go from rough from digging clay and firing kilns, to smooth from throwing pottery, and back again... and it’s as if the skin on their hands has been polished.
When you think about it, a potter's main tool is their hands.
I like to think that through their daily life in the studio, those hands are constantly being polished and cared for.
Well, the next part will be the final installment of the interview with Kaneshige-sensei.
Please check back if you'd like. See you then.