PREVIEW: Friday 13 March, 6-8pm, free event BOOK PLACE
SYMPOSIUM: Saturday 14 March, from 11am FIND OUT MORE
Yakimono – literally translated as ‘fired things’ – will explore the impact of Japan, and the relationship of Japanese and British ceramics through the Modern period, up to the present. The exhibition explores over a century of cultural exchange between British and Japanese traditions and considers this relationship based on knowledge-sharing and mutual respect between each country.
From the influence of early pioneers such as Bernard Leach to contemporary artists working across both contexts, the exhibition traces how Japanese philosophies of ‘making’ reshaped modern ceramics in Britain and continue to inform practice today. Regarding clay as a legitimate medium for fine art is a relatively recent development in the history of Western art; yet, in Japan, potters have been venerated for centuries. Just like Albrecht Dürer visiting Italy for the first time and experiencing the esteem in which his fellow painters were held, when artists such as Bernard
Leach travelled to Japan, they brought back not only the skills of the masters, but also their elevated sense of place in the hierarchy of art. In 1920 when Bernard Leach (1987-1979) and Shoji Hamada (1894-1978), two of the most important potters of the entire Modern period, moved from Japan to Britain and set up a pottery in Cornwall, they began to promote a new aesthetic and philosophy of what ceramic could be. The impact of their studies transformed studio ceramics in the West and shaped the contemporary scene as we know it today.
This exhibition at Messums West is a celebration of Anglo-Japanese cultural exchange in clay, telling the story of the dialogue between British and Japanese ceramicists from Christopher Dresser (1834-1904), Bernard Leach (1987-1979) and Lucie Rie (1902-1995), through the 20th century, to contemporary figures trained in the Japanese tradition, such as Sam Chatto. Many of the pieces on show are for sale and the exhibition includes new work created especially for the show.
There will be a presentation of new works by Makoto Kagoshima (b.1967), Hiromine Nakamura (b.1986) and Morito Toyonaga (b.1976). Working in ceramic, sculpture and on paper, all three artists champion an evolved tradition of making process of their respective crafts, each drawing a more global awareness into the significant history in Japanese culture. Kagoshima’s work conveys the influence of European storytelling and Japanese making, combining influences from East and West. Hiromine Nakamura is a practitioner of the Japanese art of Ningyō who strives to bridge traditional practices with contemporary art. Morito Toyonaga is a woodcut printmaker, a craft that has existed in Japan since its migration from China in the 700s CE. Many of his works take inspiration from the illustrations of the Old Testament, or other historical works of literature such as myths, folklore and fairytales, but reimagined through the Ukiyo-e style of Japanese tempo and sensibility.
