We are pleased to present our second two-person exhibition by Yasumoto Kajiwara and Aiko Watanabe, their first with us in two and a half years.
Although their styles differ, I personally sense a certain affinity between their approaches to form, so for this exhibition we asked the two artists to exchange materials. Iga and Shigaraki differ considerably from Karatsu in the character of their clay, forming methods, and firing techniques. Watanabe joined Kajiwara for a kiln firing, and through exchanging information and experimenting together, they have produced ceramics with a wonderfully distinctive character.
What we would particularly like you to notice is how their forms change when they work with materials different from those they normally use. As I wrote in the announcement for their previous exhibition, what I find most appealing in the work of both artists is the naturalness of their forms. Each piece seems to exist within a larger, effortless flow. Yet when the material changes, their perspective must change as well, and this should inevitably appear in the forms they create. Even while remaining within that natural flow, perhaps entirely different forms will emerge. This, in turn, gives us as users a new perspective on the way these two artists approach form. How exciting! Woohoo! And because these are ceramics, the surfaces and textures also play an enormous role in what makes the works so fascinating, so we hope you will enjoy discovering those aspects as well.
Once again, the exhibition will feature an impressive selection of tea ware, flower vessels, sake ware, and tableware. We warmly invite you to visit!
