[Ceramic artist: Ryuji Iwasaki interview part 1] Unpretentious beauty

-First, please tell us what led you to pursue a career in pottery.

I've loved clay since I was a child.

As a child, I often played with oil clay and paper clay.

It was pure fun to see the various shapes coming out of my hands.

This was the starting point for my pursuit of pottery.

I started working seriously with pottery when I was 18 years old.

I was shocked by the dynamism and liveliness of the potter's wheel, and from then on I was hooked.

—What does the "live feeling" feel like?

The shape suddenly takes shape.

The moment when the clay changes as it rotates is very fascinating.

The movement of my hands and the reaction of the clay are directly connected, and it feels as if we are having a conversation.

—You've been active as a lecturer for a long time. What was that experience like?

The students were all very unique and had many ideas that I didn't have.

Even though I thought I was teaching, I often found myself learning more than the other students.

Since it is a pottery class, there are people with a variety of occupations and ways of thinking.

Thanks to that, I was able to learn about other worlds and gain a variety of values.

—What does the “ideal vessel” mean to you, Mr. Iwasaki?

If I can find even one piece of my work in someone's life, that will be enough to make me happy.

For me, the ideal vessel is one that can be integrated into everyday life.

*Examples of works

—What moments in the production process make you feel that something is beautiful?

Pottery making involves many steps, and each step is beautiful.

But in the end, you won't know until it's baked.

The glaze flows and changes appearance in the kiln.

Therefore, it is only when the kiln is opened that we can "judge" whether the piece is "beautiful" or not.

The most enjoyable moment is when I achieve beauty that is not too forced.

—When you say “beauty without being too deliberate,” do you mean enjoying the coincidences?

I agree.

Ideas often come to me during the creation process.

So I want to cherish the thoughts and inspiration I have at that time.

It was a series of experiments asking, "What would happen if I mixed this with that?"

I look for beauty that comes from inspiration and chance rather than calculation.

I want to express the momentary beauty that emerges during the creative process.

Pottery involves many steps, and there are moments in the process when you suddenly realize, "Ah, this is it."

It's not something that comes to mind just by thinking about it.

For example, even if I sketch a shape, when I actually work with the clay I realize that it would be better if I did it this way.

I think that live feeling is what makes pottery so interesting.

*Spatulas and brushes used in the scraping process

-You use semi-porcelain as your material. Why?

Originally, clay was used.

However, it was difficult to express white with ceramic clay.

In this respect, semi-porcelain allows you to accurately express the color you want.

It goes well with the glaze I use and also increases the strength of the vessel.

Right now, it's the material that best suits my expression.

—I heard you are particular about your kilns.

Yes, I use an electric kiln.

The most important feature is the ability to precisely control the temperature.

The glazes and ash I use don't produce the look I want if the temperature is too high or too low.

Additionally, temperature control during cooling is also important, so a kiln that can be precisely adjusted is essential.

My current kiln was custom-made by a manufacturer, and it really supports my expression.

The second part will be released tomorrow.