Once again this year, we are pleased to present a solo exhibition by Takashi Tanimoto.
There are no particularly dramatic changes to report, but since last year Tanimoto has begun carving a new style of foot. Among the works shown here, the Iga chawan is an example. It may look like an attached foot, but apparently it is not.
Perhaps because of the strong individuality of his firing, his forms, and even his behavior, Tanimoto is often regarded as something of an outsider. Yet he creates deeply classical works imbued with the atmosphere of old Iga, something rarely encountered even among contemporary Iga and Shigaraki potters. At an exhibition of old Iga held at the Gotoh Museum, I even came across a piece that made me think, “That looks like Tanimoto’s work!” He uses old Iga as a means through which to reflect his own thinking in his work, but perhaps Tanimoto’s true individuality—something that ultimately takes him beyond old Iga itself—lies in the naturalness of his forms: multilayered and complex, yet utterly without pretense.
Alongside Iga, this exhibition will also feature Raku, a small number of Ido works, and just one Shino piece. The Ido works are apparently made from clay found in Kochi and are completely different from his previous Ido pieces. We warmly invite you to visit!
