[Interview with ceramic artist Ryuji Iwasaki, Part 2] Tableware is a usable art

--Please tell us about the turning point that led you to your current style.

It was when I discovered white glaze.

Realizing that any color can be applied on top of white was a major turning point for me.

For example, if you spray iron or ash on top of a white glaze, it will take on a completely different appearance depending on what is sprayed on it.

I found that freedom intriguing and became hooked.

* Ash used in production

—The workshop is also a very beautiful space.

I asked an architect who is a childhood friend to design it.

He has a good understanding of my work and created a space based on the theme of "a place where the work can breathe naturally."

My favorite is the window in front of the potter's wheel.

The view from there is always soothing.

*The view from in front of the potter's wheel

—What do you think are the characteristics of your own creations?

I guess they're just doing whatever they want (laughs).

I'm not really conscious of fixed ideas like "this is how it should be."

For now, it's more fun to just bake it and see what happens.

I often realize later on, reading a book or something, "Oh, so that's what this phenomenon was about."

However, it makes more sense when you understand it through your own physical experience.

I feel that these experiences have led to my current creative endeavors.

*The bold cutting

- Were there any difficulties you faced while creating the work?

Glaze experiment.

If it doesn't go well, I'll be really discouraged.

But I just switch gears and think, "For now, let's move on to the next thing."

Forget it and move on to the next one.

It feels like I've continued doing that.

—On the other hand, what are the moments that make you feel joy?

The key is to get people to use it.

Your vessel is breathing life into someone's life.

Just imagining it makes me happy.

I feel like communication between the maker and the user is established through the vessels.

*The process of drying after shaping on a potter's wheel

—Is there anything you would like to say to the younger generation of potters?

We live in an age where there is a lot of information.

If you research it, you'll find a lot of information.

I think there are pros and cons to this.

I think people are confused by all the information out there.

So, what's important is to be honest with your own curiosity.

I want you to be honest about what you love and pursue it to the fullest.

Even if you are unsure, if you keep going, you will definitely see something.

—What would you like to challenge in the future?

I believe that tableware is a form of art that can be used.

Even if we don't speak the same language, we can still communicate through the vessels.

That's why I would like people all over the world to use my pottery.

I would like to continue making tableware that fits naturally into any dining table in any country.

*A corner of the atelier

-Finally, please tell us about the word "creation" that you hold so dear.

Because they are made by hand, no two pieces will be exactly the same, even if they are made with the same shape.

Although the atmosphere is consistent, I think it's better to have the feelings of the moment reflected in the vessel.

That's why I try not to aim too hard or go overboard with the creation.

I want to treasure the shape of each piece and make the most of the way the clay stretches and the glaze flows.

It captures the dynamism of the potter's wheel and the live feeling of the creative process.

That is my creation.

By talking to the clay, a vessel is born from that dialogue.

Ryuji Iwasaki's works are filled with a passion that seems to blend chance and necessity.

This may be a reflection of his own personality, as he continues to find beauty in his daily life.