Kogei – Japanese art crafts

 

 

Bowl-with-blue-glaze by AZUMA Masayuki Japanese ceramics

Azuma Masayuki blue glaze bowl

 

 

Kogei : art and crafts of Japan.

 

Muneyoshi Yanagi is widely accepted as the founder of the Japanese craft movement known as Mingei which began around 1927. Yanagi recognized utilitarian objects made by the common people to be art objects quite often “beyond beauty and ugliness”. His book “The Unknown Craftsman’ became an influential work which examined the Japanese way of viewing and appreciating art and beauty in everyday crafts that included pottery, lacquer, textiles, and woodwork. His son Sori Yanagi, who became an internationally renowned product designer successfully crossed borders between art and craft through his creations and he espoused the philosophy “Contemplate by hand, Create by heart”
The Japanese believe the deep spirit of their culture is reflected in their art. This is exemplified in their Kogei exhibitions which occur in most of the main cities of Japan. These art-and-craft exhibitions became a regular fixture after the mid 50’s to help foster and pass down the skills of Japanese traditional crafts and encourage their development. Originally there were 7 categories of traditional Japanese arts: ceramics, urushi (lacquerware), dolls, woodwork and bamboo, textiles and metalwork. A broad spectrum of art works from designated Living National Treasures to today’s young artists are represented. The primary aim of theses exhibitions is to keep the traditional arts in focus while showcasing improved techniques and innovative contemporary arts.
Most of participating artists spent years studying their craft, often taught by masters in their fields. While they were trained to adhere to the techniques of their kogei (craft) with unwavering devotion, more artisans have become less immutable and more adventurous with their interpretations of the traditional arts and more contemporary styles are now accepted. Fortunately the exploration of new styles hasn’t diminished the exquisite refinement that was achieved traditionally and intricate decorative detail is still in evidence.

 

Makiko Hattori-Contemporary-KOGEI-Art-Fair Ceramic sculpture

Makiko Hattori – Contemporary KOGEI Art Fair, Tokyo

 

 

 

,Japan-Traditional,-Art-Crafts,-Tyoushitu-Kinma,-Crafts-Exhibitions - Fujita Seido of lacquerware.

Fujita Seido – urushi lacquerware lidded box

 

 

“Applying makeup”. Formed with tōso and covered with paper. GALLERY JAPAN SUGIURA Michiko

“Applying makeup” – Sugiura Michiko

Formed with tōso and covered with paper.

 

 

 

kogei_snail TAKEMURA-Yuri in brown and black earth tones

‘Snail ‘ – Takemura Yuri

 

 

Bizen

Bizen ceramic sculpture – “Weather the storm” – Izeaki Jun  (National Living Treasure)

Gallery Japan

 

 

Bowl-with-indigo-three-color-glaze-decoration by Kato Kiyokazu

Bowl with indigo three color glaze decoration. “1307”  – Kato Kiyokazu

Gallery Japan

 

 

Cloisonne-box

Cloisonne box. “Prayer of wind”  –   Ogawa Kazuyo

Gallery Japan

 

 

 

A distinguishing-feature-of-MIYASHI Tohaku's -work-are-the-cutout-patterns-formed-by-a-combination-of-painting-on-clay-and-the-cutting-of-washi-(traditional-Japanese-paper)

Miyashi Tohaku

 

 

 

FUJII-Toshio lidded wooden box

Wooden Box – Fujii Toshio

Gallery Japan

 

 

 

funagata-Wavy-Bunhaku-pink glaze -boat-small-bowl - Jinnai Sakata

Jimmai Sakata – internal pink glaze bowls

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN--ICHISHIMA-Ogyo

Plaintext round dance octagonal lacquered box by Ichishima Ogyu

Hiramon: – hiramon is the technique of stretching metals such as gold or silver into thin strips, which are then cut into various shapes to create designs.

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts-MATSUMOTO-Noriko

Matsumoto Noriko – Kanshitsu vessel

Kanshitsu: A form is made with clay, and then plaster is used to make a mold in that shape. Linen is affixed to the mold with Urushi, layered to the required thickness, and then the mold is removed. Further coats of Urushi are applied after that. The linen fibers are strengthened when the Urushi soaks into them, and the end result is sturdy, although the linen can be shaped with a great degree of freedom.

Gallery Japan

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts-NAKANO-Saeko

Nakano Saeko – gold leaf and metal vessel

Decorative metal cutting
This technique was originally used to create beautiful decorations for Buddhist statuary and so forth, but today it is used to create artworks such as decorative boxes. Decorative metal cutting begins with heating gold leaf as thin as paper in a charcoal fire and layering it to create thickness. The layered gold leaf is cut with a blade into fine patterns such as lines, squares and triangles. Then a brush is used to apply further gold leaf to the pattern, and the work is complete.

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts-Osumi-Yukie- tankin ( hammered) vessel

Osumi Yukie

A tankin (hammered) vessel made by applying the traditional techniques of chasing, mainly nunome-zogan (textile imprint inlay)

 

 

 

tankin-(hammered)-vessels-and-by-applying-the-traditional-techniques-of-chasing,-mainly-nunome-zogan-(textile-imprint-inlay)-Osumi-Yukie

Osumi Yukie – Tankin vessel

 

 

HATORI-Keiko---GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts

Keiko Hatori

“To express the beauty of forms, I paint on clay with different colors and materials, and apply the zogan (inlay) techniques with different line widths. With the goal of enhancing the harmony between the shape and colors, and the dignified balance of lines.”

 

 

Kaku Hayashi ceramic art

Kaku Hayashi

 

 

 

Hideaki-Suzuki-Contemporary-KOGEI-Art-Fair-- ceramic cup

Hideaki Suzuki

Contemporary KOGEI Art Fair, Tokyo

 

 

Sachiko Fujino contemporary ceramic sculpture

Sachiko Fujino

 

 

 

Japanese Ito-Tozan incised ceramic vase

Flared, incised vase – Ito Tozan  (1846-1920), Meiji period

 

 

 

Jar made by forging and heat welding method. GALLERY JAPAN - HAGINO Noriko

Jar made by metal forging and heat welding method.  – Hagino Noriko

Gallery Japan

 

 

 

Jar with celadon glaze and carved design. GALLERY JAPAN NAKASHIMA Hiroshi LNT

Jar with celadon glaze and carved design – Nahashima Hiroshi  – [Living National Treasure]

Gallery Japan

 

 

Jar-with-nunozome-decoration.---GALLERY-JAPAN---Nunozome-Saiji-Floral-and-geometric-patterns-standing-out-on-a-white-ceramic-surface

Uwataki Koichi  –  Jar with nunozome Saiji floral decoration and geometric patterns standing out on a white ceramic surface.

Gallery Japan

 

 

 

Jar-with-tree-bark-design-in-inlay

Zogan Jar with tree bark design in inlay by Sakai Shinichi

Zogan – When using the zogan (damascening or inlaying) technique, you carve into the surface of the pottery, and then inlay clay of other colors into the carved-out areas to make a design. After inlaying the clay, the glaze is applied then fired.

Gallery Japan

 

 

Large-“Sadogashima”-jar.---Mumyoi-yaki,-the-fine-Japanese-pottery-made-from-reddish-clay-known-as-mumyoi

Large “Sadogashima” jar – Ito Sekisui (National Living Treasure)

  Mumyoi-yaki – the fine Japanese pottery made from reddish clay known as mumyoi, which has been used for over 200 years in Japan.

Gallery Japan

 

Large vase with muku tree ash glaze and marbled line design. GALLERY JAPAN MATSUI Koyo

Large ovoid vase with muku tree ash glaze and marbled line design by Matsui Koyo

Gallery Japan

 

 

Marbled jar. GALLERY JAPAN MATSUI Koyo

Marbled jar – Matsui Koyo

 

 

 

Masayo-Iguchi - Contemporary-KOGEI-Art-Fair-

Masayo Iguchi – Contemporary KOGEI Art Fair, Tokyo

 

 

 

Miyao-Masahiro----GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts

Miyao Masahiro

“I use Kotokoname clay. I collect the raw clay from all over the Chita Peninsula and refine it myself, and use an anagama (cave) firewood kiln for firing and reproduce Kotokoname ware – The majority of my works are yakishime” (ceramics fired at high temperatures and without any applied glaze)

 

 

 

Nakano deep bowl with moon white glaze. GALLERY JAPAN Japanese traditional art crafts FUKUSHIMA Zenzo

Seihakuji deep bowl with moon white glaze – Fukushima Zenzo

 Gallery Japan

Blue-tinted seihakuji – Seihakuji (blue-white porcelain), known in English as celadon, is produced using porcelain clay made from white stone. It is pottery that has been biscuit-fired and painted with a glaze containing a small amount of iron, which turns a bluish tint when fired again.

 

 

Nerikomi-Porcelain-「waterfall」---GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-craftsMUROFUSHI-Eiji

Eiji Murofushi

Murofushi mainly produces ceramics using translucent porcelain clay and applying the nerikomi * technique. *

Neriage:  Neriage is made by kneading together different colors of clay which introduces all sorts of patterns depending on the method used to combine the clay colors, with cross-sections of kneaded clay appearing on the surface of the ceramics.

 

 

 

Ozawa-Koumin-LNT-Metalwork vessel

Metalwork vessel – Ozawa Koumin (Living National Treasure)

Gallery Japan

 

 

sakura_ohgi Sakura bunogi type glove compartment by Kyoko Shamida

Sakura bunogi type glove compartment by Kyoko Shamida

 

 

shimmering of heated air, japanese bamboo basket by Shono Shounsai (Living National Treasure) 1969

‘Shimmering of heated air’  –  Japanese bamboo basket by Shono Shounsai  (Living National Treasure)

 1969

Gallery Japan

 

 

Shino dark blue flower vessel. GALLERY JAPAN Sakai Hiroshi

Shino dark blue flower vessel by Sakai Hiroshi

 

 

 

Square jar with iron glaze and design of bird on a Daimyo oak branch. GALLERY JAPAN Hara Kiyoshi NLT

Square jar with iron glaze and design of bird on a Daimyo oak branch by Hara Kiyoshi  (Living National Treasure)

Gallery Japan

 

 

 

Toshio Ohi Contemporary KOGEI Art Fair Lidded pottery jar

Toshio Ohi  – lidded ceramic vessel

Contemporary KOGEI Art Fair, Tokyo

 

 

 

Wide-mouthed jar with design in colored slip painting Kikuchi Hiroshi

Wide-mouthed jar with design in colored slip painting by  Kikuchi Hiroshi

 

 

 

Ceramic abstract bowl-GALLERY-JAPAN---Fukushima Hiroko

Fukushima Hiroko

“I want to express the beauty and power of blue through porcelain. I expand my image of patterns from the form of a vessel, and freely use several types of asbolite, and repeated drawing and erasing; these processes create the unique matière (texture effect) allowing me to explore cobalt blue designs and patterns while making full use of the distinctive quality of clay.”

 

 

 

Japan metal art ---Ichikawa Masami GALLERY-JAPAN

Surface carved metalware – Ichikawa Masami

 

 

 

work---GALLERY-JAPAN---Iwase- Nahomi

Iwase Nahomi ceramic sculpture

 

 

 

--GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts Hoshino Tomoyuki celedon green bowl

Hoshino Tomoyuki

 

“When I work on the wheel I find myself harmonizing with the clay, and it’s then I can feel a sense as if my own genes somehow become synchronized with the clay drawing itself out in spirals; I find it fascinating process. I use porcelain clay as the main material, and freely combine a variety of techniques, such as neritsugi, a combination of the traditional techniques of neriage and dotsugi, or using a pale blue glaze with red decoration, which is a combination of the blue of seihakuji (blue-white porcelain) and the red of Shinsha glaze. I also use a Japanese-style plane to create edges, which are only found in ceramics scraped with this tool.”

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts-Ishida-Wataru

Ishida Wataru Parte de verre vessel

Parte de verre – Parte de verre is a technique in which a form is fashioned with clay, which is used as the basis for a plaster mold. Glass powder is mixed with a special kind of paste, and the mixture put into this plaster mold and fired. The heat causes the glass to melt and take on the form of the mold. Then it is slowly cooled and removed from the mold, and it’s finished.

 

 

work---GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-craftsNakagawa Mamoru

Inlaid Oborogin vase “Ame-go Yamakage” by Nakagawa Mamoru (Living National Treasure)

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Japanese-traditional-art-crafts - Yoshirta Minor vase with pressed gold leaf

Yoshirta Minor

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN--Metalwork vessel - Ozawa Koumin (Living National Treasure)

Ozawa Koumin (Living National Treasure)

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN---Tada Yukifumi Iroe boxes with geometric pattern

Tada Yukifumi – Iroe boxes

Iroe:  (literally color painting in Japanese) is a technique in which a transparent glaze is applied and the piece glost-fired, then paint is applied over the glaze and the piece is fired again at a low temperature of approximately 800 degrees Celsius. It is also called uwae, or over-painting. The paint used in traditional iroe is known as wa-enogu (Japanese-style paint), and color choices include red, blue, yellow, green and purple. It is also possible to use yo-enogu (Western-style paint).

 

 

 

Japan -GALLERY-JAPAN---Teranishi Shota--urushi-laquer-work

Teranishi Shota–urushi (lacquer work) lidded box

 

 

 Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum Makie Hachi kaku box

Makie Hachi kaku box

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum

 

 

 

GALLERY-JAPAN--Yamamoto Izuru

Yamamoto Izuru  – Tsumiage Kaki (Flower Vase) titled ‘Yugo No Chu’ (Union of the Universe)

The Japan Kogei Association Exhibition.

Izuru uses a novel and unconventional form of pottery, called ‘Tsumiage’, a technique of piling up plated clay. His work is based on the inherited Bizen pottery, though he adopts new ideas onto the tradition.

 

 

work---GALLERY-JAPAN--Yamamoto-Izuru--plate

Yamamoto Izuru plate

 

 

 

Yoshimura-Yoko - Wire-like-lengths-of-silver-are-used-to-delineate-compartments-in-which-colors-will-be-applied.--technique-of-shippo

Yoko Yoshimura Yusen shippo lidded vessel

Yusen Shippo:  The technique where wire like lengths of silver are used to delineate compartments in which colors will be applied.

 

 

 

Plain text octagonal box 'Yao-fu' Ichishima Ogyo

Plain text octagonal  ‘Yao-fu’ box – Ichishima Ogyo

 

 

 

'Sparkle'-of-Eiji's-Murofushi-took-the-Grand-Prix-at-the-recent-Tokai-traditional-crafts-exhibition

‘Sparkle’ by Eiji’s Murofushi

Grand Prix prize at the Tokai traditional Kogei crafts exhibition

 

 

 

 

Fuku Fukumoto Moon Shadows Japanese ceramic sculpture

‘Moon Shadows’  – Fuku Fukumoto

“I achieve just the right rhythm to finalize the shape of the piece through a dialogue between my own touch and the specific qualities of the clay.”

Photo – Takashi Hatakeyama

 

 

Kogo by Ono Hakuko ceramic dish with lid with pressed gilt

‘Kogo’ by Ono Hakuko

 

 

 

Koichiro Isezaki Tall Cut Vase

Koichiro Isezaki – Tall Cut Vase

Onishi Gallery exhibition  –  October 20 – November 14, 2015

Contemporary Japanese Kōgei

 

Onishi Gallery is pleased to bring together the work of five master-level artists who have been designated Living National Treasures by the Japanese government. Unparalleled in their craft, these artists have not only gained mastery over their chosen media, but their contributions are so significant that they constitute intangible cultural properties. These artists, many carrying on techniques that have been passed down through their families for generations, have not only preserved important cultural traditions, but have created new ways to interpret them.

 

 

CJLNT_SNS

 

 

This exhibition focuses on important works by HAGINO Noriko, HANNYA Taiju, HATA Shunsai, KIMURA Moriyasu, KONNO Tomoko, MIZUNO Mineo, ŌHI Toshio, OSHIYAMA Motoko, SHOMURA Hisaki, SUZUKI Miki, TOKUDA Yasokichi IV, and YOSHITA Yukio and also formally introduces the work of the jeweler KOJIMA Joji.

Location

Onishi Gallery is located at 521 West 26th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. NY
Closest subway stations include the C, E lines at 23rd Street, the 1 at 28th Street or 34th Street Penn Station.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm

 

onishigallery.com

or contact Onishi Gallery:  212.695.8035 / [email protected].

 

 

 

“Samoku Ona Wata”   –  Traditional rendition of Deep Purple’s ‘Smoke On The Water’

 

 

 

 

 

4 Comments

  1. Posted October 6, 2015 at 9:27 am | Permalink

    This is an awesome post! Onishi Gallery’s next show, opening on Thursday October 22nd will feature some of these artists’ works 🙂

    http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b34cace47003036e05e642b27&id=c63e3b338f

    We’d love to have you join us!

  2. Barbara Krejca
    Posted May 13, 2016 at 4:56 am | Permalink

    How positively breathtaking. I love it. Makes me want to go back to art school.

  3. Anonymous
    Posted July 27, 2016 at 3:41 pm | Permalink

    This is all so new to me and so amazing ,I guess I need time to process it. Surely,the average person could never afford to own one of these original masterpieces but can they be copied in some manner so the average person could own such beautiful objects?

  4. Ann Wren
    Posted August 4, 2021 at 6:23 am | Permalink

    Absolutely breathtaking!

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