This year, we are once again delighted to present a solo exhibition by Katsunori Sawa.
For this exhibition, Sawa will also present works incorporating yobitsugi.
Yobitsugi is a traditional repair technique in which a missing section of a chipped or broken vessel is replaced with a fragment from a different piece of pottery. The works in this exhibition, however, are not repairs. Instead, Sawa deliberately cuts into perfectly intact vessels and inserts fragments of other ceramics as part of the design. Unlike traditional yobitsugi repair, every element here is entirely intentional.
Perhaps the essence of yobitsugi lies in introducing something suddenly and unmistakably different while preserving the overall flow of the form, transforming what might otherwise feel out of place into an integral part of the design. But to deliberately go out of one’s way to do this adds a distinctly Oribe-like sense of playfulness.
There is simply no way this cannot be fun.
The exhibition will also feature Sawa’s signature Shigaraki and Oribe works. The rustic, untamed character of Shigaraki and the highly designed, playful nature of Oribe make an excellent pairing, each bringing out the qualities of the other.
We very much hope you will come and see the exhibition.
