Today, I visited the workshop of Kousuke Kaneshige, and I would like to share some photos and thoughts from that visit.
Kousuke-sensei's workshop and residence are located in the mountains of Kado, a little ways from Imbe.
It is built in the forest in harmony with the trees, and the choice to leave the nature as intact as possible is truly wonderful.
It was unfortunately rainy in the Bizen region today, but conversely, the forest on a rainy evening had a fantastic atmosphere.
Perhaps it is because, just like the surface of Bizen ware, the leaves of the trees become deeper in color when wet with rain.
And, being in the forest, there are of course many deer, wild boars, and birds.
There is moss growing all around the workshop, but it seems the wild boars come and dig it up night after night.
Also, Japanese fatsia (yatsude) is planted in the garden, but it seems the deer come and eat that as well.
It’s a bit hard to see, but there is a Japanese fatsia on the left that has been reduced to just green stems.
I wonder if the one on the right will also be eaten before long.
I visited today for Junpei-sensei’s kiln opening, but the pieces are scheduled to be delivered at a later date.
Whenever this happens, I always get restless waiting for them to arrive.
The kiln changes (yohen) and the rough sesame glaze (kase-goma) were truly beautiful; I couldn't help but let my eyes wander, and I had a hard time making up my mind.
A special piece we had commissioned was also fired successfully, and now all that remains is to send photos to the customer who ordered it.
I also picked up five sake cups by Kousuke-sensei, which I will list as soon as they are ready.
While his profound kiln-change pieces are wonderful, Kousuke-sensei’s "scarlet sash" (hidasuki) works are truly beautiful.
I poured water into them earlier to test them, and as they got wet, the scarlet sash inside burned with a brilliant clarity,
vibrantly coloring like the trees in the forest today, searing themselves into the viewer’s memory.
If there are any pieces you are interested in, please feel free to contact us.
We can send photos via email or post, so please let us know.
Tel 0869-67-2210 Fax 0869-67-2220
Email to Kawaguchi Tourakuen
Bonus
It’s my secret pleasure, but I love looking at the ground in gardens and parking lots when I visit artists.
Actually, if you look closely, shards of broken works are embedded in the ground, and if you stare long enough, you can find all sorts of fragments.
The strange thing is that if you stare for too long, you end up mistaking regular stones for pottery shards.
It’s truly a misunderstanding typical of Bizen ware.