The Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum is an art museum located in the city of Seto, north of the metropolis of Nagoya in central Japan. This museum was formally named "Aichi-ken Toji Shiryokan", but the name in English has been the same as before. Wikipedia

Located on the outskirts of town on a hilltop the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum is a temple to Ceramics. The scale only becomes apparent upon approaching.

The first building I approached was impressive. I was surprised that the lady at the counter was asking me how much clay I wanted (it took me a while to understand since my Japanese is limited to please and thank you) and when I said ‘Museum’ we finally understood each other.

Now the sign made sense to me. This is a building dedicated to visitors working in clay themselves. In their very accommodating way the lady took me outside and pointed to a foot bridge to get to the main building.

Main building

You might get a sense of scale from this picture if you zoom in and bear in mind there is a tall basement as well. Unfortunately inside I wasn’t allowed to take photos.

Located in one of the many long and narrow side streets of Kyoto, you’ll find the Raku Museum. Spread over two floors is a selection of tea ware giving a historical cross section of Raku ware produced over the centuries. Well worth visiting. Learn how our commonly held understanding of Raku as a firing technique is not even scratching the surface of a very deep and old tradition.

One of the earliest pieces dating back to the founder of the Raku tradition, Cojirō (~1589) who was initially making roof tiles and ornaments.

Raku Museum

A very early example.

Hon’ami Kōetsu (1558-1637)

White Raku tea bowl named Kansetsu (crown of snow)

And this is my favorite

Raku Jikinyū XV (b. 1949)

Yakinuki-type black Raku tea bowl named Suiba (windblown horse) made in 1993

Last day of the fair and closing ceremony.
The Ceramics fair was a great success. Many people traveled the great distance to the remote mountain village of Sasama to see the Ceramics Fair, showing the work of Ceramicists from 21 Nations.

Last day of the fair and closing ceremony.
The Ceramics fair was a great success. Many people traveled the great distance to the remote mountain village of Sasama to see the Ceramics Fair, showing the work of Ceramicists from 21 Nations.

The Festival ending with a great traditional Japanese drumming finale.

Tomorrow is the last day of Ceramics Fair, ICAF 2019, Sasama, Japan

Presenting the work at the Ceramics Fair. ICAF 2019

Demonstrating how he produces his larges slab pieces with their typical cracking pattern.

Using stiff clay and spreading it on a absorbent surface like a concrete floor or plaster slab like this demonstration.

Spreading the clay

Using the feet to further spread and compress the clay.

Finally adding a pattern with a fork

The pieces are left to dry afterwards for a long time and naturally crack into sections. When dry a wash of copper oxide and black stain is applied and the surface highlighted with bat wash.
the individual cracked pieces are small enough to fit into a standard kiln.

‘For me human presence is the starting point of art’

Pekka is giving a throwing demonstration.

Pekka is working with sections he is joining leather hard, after hand shaping and distorting them.

To join the sections he prefers slip made from powdered clay. Crushing dry clay and adding just a little water produces a slip that still contains dry particles.

Javier Del Cueto is demonstrating how he made the cobbs of corn (corn being the staple food of Mexico) for his installation raising awareness of the GMO processes.

Javier Del Cueto is demonstrating how he made the cobbs of corn (corn being the staple food of Mexico) for his installation raising awareness of the GMO processes.

Alternating layers of terra sigilata to finish

Yohei is using the firing process itself as an important element of producing his work. Conceptually exploring ‘interaction of thought and action, exceeding the will of the artist’. Firing Coca Cola crowns corks, books, iron buckets and other unlikely objects to create very interesting visual results.

Yohei is using the firing process itself as an important element of producing his work. Conceptually exploring ‘interaction of thought and action, exceeding the will of the artist’. Firing Coca Cola crowns corks, books, iron buckets and other unlikely objects to create very interesting visual results.

Today’s program is starting with a demonstration by Yifeng Gao who produces ware for the Chinese tea ceremony.

Demonstration by Yifeng Gao

Yifeng is explaining the function of the piece. In Chinese it is called ‘fairness cup’

Preparing the tea, it is poured from one cup to the next which increases the strength of the tea. To balance it is all poured into one cup the ‘fairness cup’ and from this equally distributed.

Detail from a sample bowl Yifeng brought along.

Sarah Flynn Demonstrating her method of manipulating leather hard thrown shapes.

Sarah Flynn Demonstrating her method of manipulating leather hard thrown shapes.

Pushing and cutting to alter the shape.

Sarah Pschorn demonstrating her process

Sarah is demonstrating a print process that works from laser printed / photocopied images. The original image is simplified to black and white and inverted with an image processing software.

Black stain is mixed with water and lightly brushed on the photocopy. The black areas of the photocopy repelling the watery stain whereas the white areas absorb the ceramics stain.

After letting the paper dry the print is transferred to a moistened clay slab. Then the paper is carefully removed.

Urmas extrudes strings of clay with the help of a compressor and creates shapes by using paper or wire structures to support the shape.

Urmas Pukhan, Estonia
Urmas extrudes strings of clay with the help of a compressor and creates shapes by using paper or wire structures to support the shape.

Urmas Pukhan, Estonia

First lecture by Yifeng Geo

Yifeng’s training was in sculpture. He is following his passion and is now producing tea ware.

“Tea ware and life.”

Had a good rest at the foot of Mount Fuji. In the afternoon is check-in at Sasama ICAF 2019. You can find more details of the festival at https://www.icaf-sasama.com/

It’s a misty morning at Yamanakako, but the mist lifted just long enough to get a glimpse of Mount Fuji.

Tokyo Haneda Airport

And here we go.

see the program at

https://www.icaf-sasama-en.com

Carefully packing the pieces to travel with me on the plane.

Packing pieces to survive the air travel.