Shozo Michikawa: The Nature of Ceramics

S H O Z O M I C H I K A W ATHe NATure Of ClAy

SHOZO MICHIKAWA

cavin - morris Gallery

may 28 - JUly 1, 2011

THe NATure Of ClAy:

To reTain The naTUral “inTenTions” of The day

a cold winTer morninG,wedGinG clay in The workshop.

more painfUl Than cold,The feel of a handfUl of clay-sTeam rises from

one’s handsand JUsT for an insTanT iT iTches.

varioUs shapes are born from my hands.This morninG’s liTTle saTisfacTion.

-shozo michikawa

“ at first glance, one would imagine that shozo’s dramatic faceted and twisted forms are hand-built and sculpted but, in fact, the vases he was working on during my visit were created on the wheel. however, he does not ‘throw’ his vessels in any conventional sense; rather their energy comes from the twisting of fractured planes on an internal axis. it is a different understanding of his materials, to do with cutting and paring down, rather than expanding from a ball of clay. he speaks of having a ‘conversation with the clay’ and

‘assisting the way it wants to go,’ which reflects his profound respect for its natural qualities. an early morning walk through the woods with his japanese husky dog revealed just as much about his attitude to nature: almost an animist veneration for natural forces such as rocks, trees and the very earth from which the clay is mined, a sensibility that finds expression in the natural intentions of his beautiful pots.”

-simon martin, art historian/writer/curator, pallant house Gallery, chichester-

Shozo michik awa:the nature of clay may 28 – july 1, 2011

cavin-morris is honored to present a one-person exhibition by the world-renowned artist, shozo michikawa. we will present a cross-section of some of his newest pieces. although he has shown frequently all over the world, aside from a presentation of his work at sofa by the wonderful gallery besson, this will be his first solo presentation in new york.

over the years michikawa has established a unique language in his medium, one that nods toward traditions but that follows none. he views his work as still functional, but because of their bold forms and presences the functionality becomes a choice of the owner. most will take their places as sculpture before they are allowed their utilitarian concept.

There are dangerous and beautiful undertones to his work. They are weathered and scarred like ancient eroded earthen architecture, less about erosion perhaps then the shifting of natural valences, like something we only know has changed by looking away for a bit and then looking back to see the difference time has made. we see this in the way wind shapes ridges in desert sand or in water as it pulls back again into the ocean leaving the sand rilled and newly shaped yet still in its own tradition. it is the surface above a force, the signifier of the huge true strength of nature disturbed and undisturbed. below those ripples the sea has no morals, above the sand follows the endless shaping by the wind in its best and worst behavior. The sea can flood, the wind can hide a sandstorm, the mud can slide and cover the world and the next day can be sweet and sultry. michikawa’s work has been described as a physical manifestation of the conciseness of haiku, fast and brief and increasingly and never endingly complex. These are tactile pieces and every one of them hums and buzzes in one’s hands in astonishing physicality.

Small TwiST Form, Smi 23

SMAll TWIST fOrM, 2008sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze6.85 x 5.67 x 5.67 inches, smi 21

INCeNSe BurNer. 2008sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

4 x 5.5 x 4 inches, smi 1

SMAll TWIST fOrM, 2011sToneware wiTh shino Glaze

5.75.x 4 x 2.5 inches, smi 28

POT, C. 2010sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

7 x 5.08 x 5.08 inches, smi 20

BOWl, C. 2010sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

5.08 x 9.8 x 8.62 inches, smi 14

BOWl, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

6.26 x 11.46 x 9.92 inches, smi 13

TANKA TeA POT fOrM, 2011sToneware


TeA POT fOrM, 2011sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

4.75 x 6 x 3.75 inches, smi 30

SMAll TWIST fOrM, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze3.78 x 3.78 x 3.78 inches, smi 23

TANKA WAVe POT, C. 2010sToneware

4.61 x 4.13 x 4.13 inches, smi 27



TANKA TrIANGle POT, 2010sToneware

4 x 3 x 3.75 inches, smi 4

TWIST fOrM, 2011sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

5.25 x 2.75 x 5.25 inches, smi 29

TANKA SquAre POT, C. 2010sToneware

10.28 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches, smi 26

SMAll TWIST fOrM, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

5 x 7 x 4 inches, smi 6

SMAll TWIST fOrM, 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

4 x 7 x 7 inches, smi 7SMAll TWIST fOrM, 2010

sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze6 x 7 x 6 inches, smi 8

TeABOWl, 2010sToneware wiTh shino Glaze


MIZuSASHI, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

6 x 6 x 6 inches, smi 9

SquAre POT, C. 2010sToneware wiTh shino Glaze8.86 x 5.67 x 5.67 inches, smi 19

SquAre POT, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

10.98 x 5.31 x 5.31 inches, smi 18

KOHIKI KATAKuCHI BOWl, C. 2010sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze4.96 x 4.96 x 4.61 inches, smi 15

TANKA TrIANGle SCulPTurAl fOrM, 2008sToneware

7 x 8.5 x 6.5 inches, smi 3

NATurAl ASH POT, C. 2010sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

4.49 x 4.49 x 12.76 inches, smi 16

BeNIHOHIKI TeA BOWl, C. 2010sToneware wiTh benihohiki Glaze

4.49 x 4.49 x 3.19 inches, smi 25

TAllPOT, 2011 (COVer IMAGe)sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze

19.5 x 7 x 6 inches, smi 12

TAll POT, 2011sToneware wiTh naTUral ash Glaze

19.5 x 6.5 x 6 inches, smi 11

recenT foreiGn exhibiTions

solo exhibiTions:

1996 hiraya Gallery, manila, philippines1997 hiraya Gallery, manila, philippines2001 arT Gallery, Ulaan baaTar, monGolia2003 izUkan Gallery, manila, philippines2004 Galerie besson, london, Uk2005 izUkan Gallery, manila, philippines forbidden ciTy, beiJinG, china shandonG mUseUm, shandonG, china blUe spiral Gallery, asheville, Usa2006 pUls conTemporary Gallery, brUssels, belGiUm2007 izUkan Gallery manila, phillipines Galerie besson london, Uk2008 clara scremini Gallery, paris, france 2009 Galerie besson, london, Uk GroUp exhibiTions:

1996 101piTcher exhibiTion, Terres de provence, paris, france1999 Gallery poTs, Galerie besson, london, Uk2002 accompanimenTs of Tea, daiichi Gallery, new york, Usa2003 sUmmer exhibiTion, Galerie besson, london, Uk2004 Japanese ceramics, Galerie, besson, london, Uk maiden bridGe exhibiTion, lancasTer, Uk sofa chicaGo, chicaGo, Usa2005 ceremica mosaico exhibiTion, ravenna, iTaly sUmmer exhibiTion, Galerie besson, london, Uk wiTh John brown, siGnaTUre shop Gallery, aTlanTa, Usa2006 Japanese crafTs exhibiTion, Galerie besson, Uk2008 “sofa ny”, new york. Usa “a Japanese dialoGUe”,The scoTTish Gallery scoTland,Uk “The GreaT norTh arT show”, yorkshire,Uk “TwenTy years-TwenTy poTs”, Galerie besson london, Uk “TUTor exhibiTion”, sUssex barn Gallery sUssex,Uk “inTernaTional ceramics”, GiroUssens france 2009 “sofT beaUTy of TradiTional shions”,Usa The arT of Japan crafT 1870 To The presenT,Usa “sofa chicaGo”, Usa

recenT Japan solo exhibiTions

1995 TobU deparTmenT sTore Gallery, Tokyo1997 TokyU deparTmenT sTore Gallery, Tokyo2000 hankyU deparTmenT sTore Gallery, osaka miTsUkoshi deparTmenT sTore Gallery, kUrashiki2001 TobU deparTmenT sTore Gallery, Tokyo2003 maTsUzakaya deparTmenT sTore Gallery, shizUoka TobU deparTmenT sTore Gallery, Tokyo2005 “wa-noi” shizUoka “Gallery Tokyo eizo” Tokyo2008 “Gallery hU” naGoya 2009 “Gallery oyama” osaka

workshops

1996 hiGham hall colleGe, cUmbria Uk1997 Technical UniversiTy of philippines , manila, philippines2001 monGolia arT colleGe, Ulan baTor, monGolia2003 Technical UniversiTy of philippines, manila, philippines hiGham hall colleGe, cUmbria Uk2004 UniversiTy of philippines, diliman, philippines a kiln park for cUmbria in 2004, penriTh, Uk2005 UniversiTy of philippines, diliman, philippines aTelier cirkel, belGiUm odyssey cenTer for The ceramic arTs, asheville, Usa2006 “hiGham hall” cUmbria,Uk “aTelier circle” belGiUm2007 “wesT dean colleGe” sUssex,Uk “hiGham hall” cUmbria,Uk “penland school of crafTs” penland,Usa2008 “wesT dean colleGe” sUssex,Uk “hiGham hall” cUmbria,Uk 2009 “inTernaTional ceramic fesTival”Uk “wesT dean”,Uk “hiGaham hall”Uk “keramik nUd TopferschUle”Uk

shozo michikawa (b. hokkaido, Japan 1953) GradUaTed from aoyama GakUin UniversiTy in 1975. Today he lives and works in seTo, aichi, a Town known as one of The “nihon rokkoyo” or “chUse rokkoyo” referrinG To one of The six oldesT poTTery cenTers in Japan. seTo is an area blessed wiTh hiGh-qUaliTy clay and an abUndance of wood for fUelinG kilns, which has made iT a cenTer for ceramic prodUcTion since ancienT Times.

michikawa Takes mUch inspiraTion from The naTUral landscape of hokkaido; The sea, The moUnTains’ conTrasT of black rock and whiTe snow, deserTs, Gnarled Trees, and volcanoes. GrowinG Up near The sTill-acTive volcano mT. UsU, iT woUld be easy To sUrmise ThaT, for michikawa, firinG clay is almosT a birThriGhT and a heriTaGe. in reGards To UsinG naTUre as an inspiraTion, michikawa sTaTes: “The enerGy of naTUre is TrUly immense. no maTTer how mUch oUr sciences and civilizaTion miGhT evolve, The power of hUman beinGs is inconseqUenTial in The face of hUman ThreaTs sUch as Typhoons, earThqUakes, TsUnamis, and erUpTinG volcanoes. i Think This is why The works creaTed by The naTUral world, for insTance The paTTerns formed by The winds on The deserT sands, or a maJesTic cliff overlookinG The ocean, conTain a power ThaT can never be imiTaTed by hUman hands. my own creaTive acTiviTies have been inspired by varioUs phenomena in The naTUral world, even Those ThaT can be seen in everyday life.”

michikawa’s work has been widely exhibiTed in Japan and also in monGolia, The philippines, france, new york, and london. his work is in The collecTions of The china-Japan exchanGe cenTer in beiJinG, as well as The philadelphia mUseUm of arT. in 2005 he was honored wiTh an exhibiTion aT The forbidden ciTy in beiJinG.

awards and disTincTions

1990 kashiki” exhibiTion, sapporo, Japan1991 desiGn compeTiTion, seTo, Japan1992 The bowl” exhibiTion, Tokyo, Japan1994 seikiokoerU crafT exhibiTion, kyoTo, Japan2005 Grand prix “ceramiacmosaico” ravenna,iTaly

collecTion

2006 qinGlinGsi Temple, xi’an, china china-Japan exchanGe cenTer, beiJinG, china2007 philadelphia mUseUm of arT, Usa 2009 naTional mUseUm of wales, wales aberysTwyTh UniversiTy of wales, wales

parTnership wiTh naTUre

seTo has a hisTory of over 1300 years as a poTTery Town. clays, kilns, proToTypes, Glazes, brUshes; anyThinG and everyThinG To do wiTh ceramics can be obTained here.

becaUse The Town is bUilT on clay There is a disTincT aTmosphere here. The river ThaT rUns ThroUGh The Town is whiTe and The air is ofTen dUsTy. shoUld yoU visiT a resTaUranT in seTo and sTarT a conversaTion on poTTery yoU beTTer waTch oUT becaUse The old lady who works There is boUnd To say ThinGs like “i’ve decoraTed noThinG bUT The faces of ceramic dolls for forTy years,” and yoU are no maTch for her wiTh a smaTTerinG of knowledGe. in oTher words yoU have To creaTe someThinG exTraordinary To avoid obscUriTy amonGsT The five ThoUsand plUs residenTs who are, one way or anoTher, all enGaGed in The makinG of ceramics.

i have been creaTinG in sUch an environmenT for aboUT ThirTy years. one coUld say ThaT my work was nUrTUred by This Town.

incidenTally, i make iT a rUle To have a conversaTion wiTh clay when i am creaTinG. yoU cannoT conTrol This naTUral obJecT clay as iT sTreTches shrinks, snaps, and bends.

The same Goes for firinG. The way The TemperaTUre rises inside The kiln differs from sUmmer To winTer. The resUlTs vary considerably accordinG To The weaTher condiTions sUch as rainy days or windy days.

in oTher words my parTner is naTUre iTself and i need To GeT alonG well wiTh iT oTherwise The resUlT will be UnsaTisfacTory. all i do in The process is To Give a liTTle helpinG hand To The ever TransforminG clay To assisT The way iT wanTs To Go.

sUch is The daily roUTine ThaT resUlTs in my work.

-shozo michikawa (Taken from Galerie besson’s 2007 release, “shozo michikawa: ThirTy years, ThirTy poTs”)

TrIANGle POT, N.D.sToneware wiTh kohiki Glaze12.87 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches, smi 17

CAVIN MOrrIS GAllery210 elevenTh avenUe sUiTe 201

new york, ny 10001T: 212 226 3768f: 212 226 0155

[email protected]

caTaloGUe desiGn: zoe mey & mimi kano

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Shozo Michikawa: The Nature of Ceramics