Hokuriku Shinkansen Opening Commemoration

The Genealogy and Development of Kutani Ware

August 1st , 2015 - September 6th , 2015

Dish with design of round fans in aode style, Kokutani style Komatsu City Museum ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

Dish with owl and ‘Taiko’ Chinese rock, Yoshidaya style
Komatsu City Museum ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

Dish with lily design, Yoshidaya style
Kutaniyaki Art Museum ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

AOYA Gen'emon/Shelf for tea ceremony with landscape design Private Collection ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

AOYA Gen'emon/Incense burner with openwork grapevine trellis design/Private Collection ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

KUTANI Shoza/Rectangular dish with scenes of farming,dragon and flowers design, overglaze enamels and gold/Nomi City Kutaniyaki Museum

IWANAMI Gyokuzan/Paired dragons handles attached bottle with warrior design,overglaze enamels and gold
Nomi City Kutaniyaki Museum

KITAOJI Rosanjin/Flat dish with reel design Komatsu City Museum ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

TOMIMOTO Kenkichi/Box with round patterns, overglaze polychrome enamels/Kanazawa College of Art

TOKUDA Yasokichi III,/Jar, brilliant glazes, ‘Galaxy’/ Komatsu City Museum ©Kazuyoshi Miyoshi

TOKUDA Yasokichi I/Dish with fighting cockerels, overglaze polychrome enamels/Komatsu City Museum

This year marks the 360th anniversary since the first kiln was erected in Kutani Village (now part of the city of Kaga) . In commemoration of the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the exhibition explore the history and development of Kutani ware. The most distinguishing characteristic of this style of overglaze enamels porcelain is its vivid and deep colors, but a great variety of new processes have been experimented through its long history which has led to the creation of a diverse of styles and designs. This process was stimulated significantly by artists who travelled to the Kutani area, as well as through exchange with porcelain studios throughout the country. Under the keyword of “exchange,” the exhibition will introduce the diverse and fascinating world of Kutani ware from the early Edo period, to contemporary artists.

【Closed Days】

Mondays

【Opening Hours】

10:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m.
*Fridays: until 8:00p.m.
*Last admission 30 minutes before closing

【Admission fee】

Adults: 900 yen / High school and university students: 700 yen /
Junior high school students and younger: Free
◇Groups of 20 or more people and those with a disability certificate or similar are eligible for a 100 yen discount from the regular admission fee.
◇Those escorting someone with a disability certificate are eligible for free admission (one person).

【Organized by】

Tokyo Station Gallery（East Japan Railway Culture Foundation）
Kaga Kutani executive committee
The Yomiuri Shimbun

【Special Cooperation with】

Kaga City,Komatsu City,Nomi City,South Kaga Wide Area office union

【Cooperation in Planning assisted by】

Kutaniyaki Art Museum,Komatsu City Museum,Nomi City Kutaniyaki Museum

【Sponsored by】

OKAMURA PRINTING. INDUSTRIES CO.,LTD

Highlight 1: Kokutani Ware – The Beauty and its Mystery

Kutani ware is characterized by its colorful appearance. The brilliance of the Gosaite style’s navy, green, yellow, violet, and crimson; and the depth of the Aote style’s overglazing, which eschews red to use only four colors; are two of the most significant charms of Kutani ware. Kokutani (Old Kutani) ware, however, is shrouded in mystery. It is commonly accepted that the first Kutani ware kiln was erected in 1655, but due to the mixing of Arita ware with extant Kutani ware pieces from that time, the area where the kiln was produced continues to be disputed. In spite of the ongoing debate, new discoveries continue to be made through excavations of the first Kutani kiln, further revealing the evolution of Kutani ware. Various theories also exist concerning the abandonment of this first kiln, but the true reason remains an enigma.

Highlight II: The Revival Kutani – The Masterpieces of the Yoshidaya Kiln

Kokutani ware was produced for around half a century starting in the early Edo period, after which production stopped. In the late Edo period, efforts aimed at reviving Kutani ware grew, including the invitation of famed artist Aoki Mokubei to the Kutani area from Kyoto. Central to this was the Yoshidaya kiln. The Yoshidaya kiln resurrected the beautiful hues of the Gosaite and Aote styles, producing numerous masterpieces incorporating a variety of designs. The vessels created by the Yoshidaya kiln are also highly diverse and mark the development of a truly rich artistic world.

Highlight III: Edo Art Nouveau? The Role of Aoya Gen'emon

Aoya Gen'emon was active as a potter of the revived style of Kunitani ware, and his pieces stand out for their bright, translucent colors and unique shapes. The animal and plant designs particularly remind one of Art Nouveau. The creation of such forms in the Kutani area more than a half century before the career of Émile Gallé speaks of the highly creative nature of the Kutani ware world.

Highlight IV: Porcelain Exportation in the Meiji Period – Delicacy and Splendor

With the opening of Japan to international trade by Commodore Matthew C. Perry, the world in turn was opened to Japan, and local industry throughout the country experienced a boom due to the demand for exports to North America and Europe. Kutani ware harnessing traditional techniques was also created for export. Numerous superb pieces were produced with the practiced skills of master craftsmen to suit Western tastes, including large, flashy vases created with the vivid colors and gold brocade of the Saishiki-kinran (red overglaze enamels with gold) style; and vessels delicately decorated in Japanese characters with transcendental finesse. Masterpieces by Kutani Shoza, the artist who created the foundation for the techniques of the Saishiki-kinran style, are also presented in the exhibit.

Highlight V: The Master Craftsman of Kutani – Hazan, Kenkichi, and Rosanjin

Throughout the 20th century, numerous potters traveled to the Kutani area to learn about and experiment with Kutani ware. These artists not only learned the techniques of Kutani ware and applied them in their own works but also had a significant influence on Kutani ware potters. Perhaps the most representative of these are Itaya Hazan, Tomimoto Kenkichi, and Kitaoji Rosanjin . Looking at the pieces in the exhibit created by these men, one can sense the breadth of the world of Kutani ware art.

Highlight VI: Modern Kutani Ware

Modern lifestyles are varied and diverse; in turn, Kutani ware is diversifying and undergoing various experiments in style and method. As part of the exhibition, Tokuda Yasokichi III is introduced as a representative of modern Kutani ware. Purifying the traditional colors of Kutani ware that have existed since its origins, his pieces create an abstract and elegant harmony. Casting a magical light, they signal the start of a new era for Kutani ware.