We are delighted to present Hideki Yanashita’s sixth solo exhibition at our gallery.
Every time, I find myself writing these little introductions without even knowing whether anyone actually reads them. And of all the artists we work with, Yanashita is the one I struggle most to write about.
As I mentioned last time, he approaches ceramics as though he were sharpening a blade, so in the end there is little more I can say than, “The blade has become even sharper—come and see!”
My own thoughts on his work have not changed significantly either. But simply repeating myself would hardly be fair to the small number of people who do read these texts, so I will spare you. If, for some eccentric reason, you are curious, you can find the introductions from his previous five exhibitions on our website.
That said, there have been some clearly visible changes in Yanashita’s work.
His signature Kase-guro has undergone a major transformation. The new black contains a remarkable range of colors within it, and its texture is highly distinctive. Yet the spirit of wabi-sabi remains entirely intact, and the lineage of Chōjirō can still be clearly felt.
I see this not simply as a change, but as an “evolution” of black by Yanashita—an artist who has continued to refine his skills while confronting classical works and deepening his understanding of them. Evolution, after all, is change that emerges from the same DNA.
Perhaps Yanashita himself sensed that something fundamental had shifted, because he has changed the name of these works from Kase-guro to Imayaki-guro.
Interesting!!
I have spent most of this introduction talking about his black ware, but there is much more to see. His red ware now features a new glaze; the yuzuhada, or citron-skin texture, of his Kōetsu Black has become even richer and more supple; and the glaze of his Ido ware has gained greater depth. New designs have also been introduced to his Oribe.
There is plenty to discover.
We very much hope you will come and see the exhibition.
