The National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese Cultural Institute in Rome. To do so they put together an incredible exhibition of 170 nihonga paintings and other decorative art pieces. The event also celebrated the 400th anniversary of the founding of the […]
The Ceramics and Ukiyo-e Masterpieces from the Hagi Uragami Museum exhibition at the Nezu Museum in Tokyo ran from June 1-July 15, 2013. The exhibit was extremely unique since it was the first time that the Nezu Museum showcased traditional Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Some of the prints, like Mount Fuji at Dawn by Katsushika […]
Most people with an interest in collecting Japanese ceramics have come across chawan tea bowls. For that matter, anyone with a passing interest in traditional Japanese life has probably come into contact with these humble but useful pieces of yakimono history. They’re really quite ubiquitous.
A chawan is a bowl that’s used for the preparation […]
Macro crystalline glazes are most likely not a Japanese invention. They first started to appear on the scene in Europe during the 1850s. They pose some of the most difficult challenges that a potter could face. This challenge might be why they’ve caught on among so many Japanese yakimono artists.
Combining porcelain and crystal glazes […]
Oribe yaki is still extremely popular today, and most people consider it to be a classic type of Japanese art. People don’t really find much other art in other countries that has been influenced by the Oribe movement. That makes it rather unique in the world.
Collectors consider formulaic brown on green glazing patterns to […]
While the phrase historical modernism might sound pretty ridiculous, it actually makes a lot of sense when one considers Oribe Yaki. Furuta Shigenari was quite an innovator when he created the first yakimono pieces in his own unique style. Many of these pieces look quite modern by today’s standards.
Oribe himself was never actually a […]
Artists with a hardcore interest in chemistry have picked apart the macro crystallization process, and come up with a number of various chemical formula designed to help artists produce the best pieces possible. That being said, most of these studies took place outside of Japan. That means that they weren’t nearly as focused on […]
Macro crystallization in ceramic art is an interesting topic. It’s a field of study that many artists are still engaged in to this day. While glazing chemistries might be stable there is still a great deal we don’t know about crystalline patterns.
For a long time, it was believed that an oxidation atmosphere was necessary […]
Ameyu glazing techniques produce a really interesting sheen, but it takes quite a while for a yakimono ceramics artist to master the style. Its not something that one can learn in a single day. Considering the deep colors that come from ameyu processes the long training process can certainly be worth it.
As with anything, […]
The term Tamba Yaki refers to ceramics made in the village of Tachikui, Hyogo. This area has been involved in the ceramics trade for over eight centuries. There are few places in Japan that have such a consistent art tradition. Tamba Yaki is one of the six ancient Japanese pottery styles, and is certainly […]