Koichi Onozawa, Black-glazed pottery (ceramic lacquerware) bowl

"Man"
Onozawa's father collected pottery by contemporary artists, so pottery was always close by. His experience with pottery making during his student days led him to become conscious of becoming a potter. "Ever since I was little, I loved working with clay and drawing, and in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to become a potter. Whenever I met artists at exhibitions, I would talk to them about their works. Gradually, it began to feel like research and study, and little by little, I began to listen to what it would be like if I were an artist. I thought that if I was going to work, I should do my best at what I love, so after graduating from university, I entered the Tajimi City Ceramic Design Institute. It's like a vocational school for pottery, but not only did I learn the basics of technique and knowledge, but I also became conscious of my artistic talent through classes and my seniors. I was also able to experience the history of Mino ware, such as Shino and Oribe, which I loved."

"place"
Onozawa Koichi of Mashiko Town, Tochigi Prefecture, has his studio in Mashiko Town. Located on the border between Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures, Mashiko Town is famous as the birthplace of "Mashiko ware," but its roots lie in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The history of Mashiko ware began when Otsuka Keizaburo, who trained at "Kuno Kiln," the founder of Kasama ware, moved to Mashiko Town and built a kiln. Until the Meiji period, it was a valuable everyday item, but demand decreased as the times prospered.
In the Taisho era, Shoji Hamada, a potter of the folk art movement, produced unique works in Mashiko. Mashiko ware once again attracted attention when Muneyoshi Yanagi and others recommended these works as folk art. It is still known as a pottery town, with about 250 kilns and pottery stores, and the Mashiko Pottery Market held in 2023 attracted a total of 360,000 visitors.

Skills
About pottery-based lacquerware In modern times, when we talk about "lacquerware," it is common to see wooden bowls and other items covered in lacquer. This is called "wood-based" lacquerware, and the lacquer enhances its functionality, such as water resistance and durability, as well as its decorativeness. On the other hand, modern pottery uses glazes. Bisque pottery is glazed and then fired at high temperatures to turn it into a glassy substance. However, although it is not common, lacquer has been used on pottery since the ancient Jomon period. By firing the clay and applying lacquer, water penetration was prevented and a gloss was created. This technique is called "pottery-based lacquerware." It is a legendary technique that has disappeared due to the development of firing technology, but it was an attractive technique for Onozawa, who originally preferred ambiguous expressions different from glazes in his powder-fired and fired works. His encounter with lacquer led him to explore expressions using pottery-based lacquerware.

A word from the artist
In my work, I want to capture the charm of old, weathered pottery, so I layer clay on it many times, letting it age as if time is passing. However, if I simply process something old out of admiration, it becomes an imitation. I coat it with lacquer or tin to capture my actions and give it a new look. You could say that the texture is born from the conflicting feelings of respect for time-honored works and not wanting to deceive with fakes. There are ancient tableware that is naturally distorted and those that are intentionally distorted, and I am attracted to both. Generally, if a symmetrical piece of tableware is slightly distorted, it is considered a failure, but I pursue the movement of the shape that occurs due to distortion. If the distortion is further tilted, it becomes even more interesting. I'm sure it's the same with humans (laughs).

《SIZE》

W21cm×D20cm×H6cm

《WEIGHT》

353g (With Box 896g)

《MATERIAL》

Pottery/Clay, lacquer, paulownia wood box included

*Do not use in microwaves, dishwashers, or ovens.