Hiroyuki Wakimoto
Myth & Legacy
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September 5 - October 10, 2003
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Hiroyuki Wakimoto
脇本博之
They called it Feng-Huang,
a mythical three-legged bird that would appear once every
few hundred years. According to Chinese legends, the bird’s
appearance was a good omen. Throughout Chinese history, this
mythical creature has been depicted in various art forms.
Among ancient Chinese pottery from the Neolithic era (12,000
– 2,000 B.C.), odd-looking vessels called gui with tripod
legs and pointed spouts might well represent objectification
of the creature. Ancient vessels like gui inspired Japanese
ceramist Hiroyuki Wakimoto to create some of the most
original forms in contemporary Japanese ceramics. One of
Wakimoto's creations, "Myth", has the head of a prehistoric
Pterodactyl, with strong jawbones and an enormous
overhanging beak. A muscular faceted neck craned to the side
supports the head, and its small body rests on three short
pointed legs. It is plumed with beautiful natural ash glaze.
The top of the head bears an opening, and the beak is
grooved for pouring. Odd as it seems, "Myth" is functional
either as a sake bottle or flower vase. Wakimoto’s
innovative works were first shown outside Japan in his 2002
American debut at the Touching Stone Gallery. The show,
which was enthusiastically received, firmly established
Wakimoto as one of the brightest rising stars among
contemporary Bizen ceramists.
Unlike many other Japanese ceramists, Hiroyuki Wakimoto was
not born into a family of potters. He was originally from
Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture in Kyushu. He first studied
textile design in a prestigious art school, Osaka Art
College. Not until he was in his senior year did he realize
that textiles were really not his interest. He left college
and went back to his hometown to help in his parents’
business. A visit to a college friend who was doing an
apprenticeship with a ceramist in Bizen proved to be a
turning point in his life. He was inspired by Bizen-yaki
and, at the age of 30, he became an apprentice under
accomplished ceramist Joji Yamashita. Nine years later, in
1990, Wakimoto established his own kiln and studio in Bizen.
As one of the six oldest Japanese pottery centers in Japan,
Bizen has produced many exceptional ceramists, including a
number of National Living Treasures. There is an enormous
legacy for Bizen ceramists to live up to. Realizing that he
must make up for his relatively late start in ceramics,
Wakimoto concentrates on developing a personal style. His
fascination with form compels him to create some of the most
interesting works in contemporary Japanese ceramics. His
pieces are instantly recognizable by the bold, meticulously
conceived forms with clean strong lines and his signature
fire markings.
The current show introduces some of Wakimotos’s more
abstract works. He recalled, "In the beginning, I cared too
much about making my work unique, and my hands struggled
with the clay. Then one day, I told myself to just set my
hands free to express my honest feelings without thinking
too much about it. From that day, I felt so relaxed and my
work became more spontaneous". Some of his latest works are
sculpted from chunks of clay rather than thrown on a
potter’s wheel. The technique, called "kurinuki", offers the
artist great flexibility to create new shapes. His "Legacy"
series, for instance, are covered vases reminiscent of
mythical beings that evoke the minimalist forms by Isamu
Noguchi. The "Monarch" and "Emergence" series are composite
pieces inspired by the massive stone walls of old Japanese
castles and rock gardens. Each piece is an interesting study
of forms, colors, and texture.
Producing such a wide range of forms and effects requires
foresight and experimentation. As an essential step in his
creative process, Wakimoto keeps a notebook of new ideas
that come to mind. He also takes great care to document his
firing procedures, keeping detailed data on temperature and
positions of the pieces in his noborigama (climbing kiln).
This methodical approach frees the artist from haphazard
guesswork, allowing him to focus on turning his abstract
visions into tangible forms. Wakimoto uses his intimate
knowledge of the kiln to produce the composite pieces, by
firing separate components in different locations in his
kiln to achieve contrasting fire markings on the same piece.
Despite his soaring reputation, Wakimoto keeps his sense of
humility. In a recent interview, the artist mused, "As an
outsider who arrived at Bizen almost by chance, I was taught
everything about Bizen-yaki that had taken hundreds of years
to develop. I hope someday I can contribute my share of
knowledge to the continuous evolution of Bizen-yaki as a way
of repaying the generosity of my adopted home town". For
now, the impact of Wakimoto’s work, like a premonition
brought forth by the mythical bird that once inspired him,
may foretell an era of new spirit and creative energy from
this ancient center of Japanese ceramic.
(from an article originally published in Ceramics: Art &
Perception, no. 48, pp. 97 - 99, 2002)
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selected pieces |
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"Jomon Bowl Form I"
Ceramic bowl 8.75" x 11.5" x 11.5" (2 views)
Sold
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"Myth #1"
Covered ceramic vase 7.75" x 5.5" x 3"
Sold
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"Myth #4"
Ceramic vase/flask 9" x 9" x 4"
Sold
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"Legacy #2"
Covered ceramic vase 6 6" x 4.5" x 3" (2 views)
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"Legacy #3"
Covered ceramic vase 6 6.5" x 5" x 3" (2 views)
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"Monarch I"
Covered ceramic vase 12" x 6" x 5"
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"Monarch II"
Covered ceramic vase 10.5" x 7" x 6" (2 views)
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"Monarch III"
Covered ceramic vase 6.5" x 4.5" x 4.5" (2 views)
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"Monarch IV"
Covered ceramic vase 6.75" x 3.75" x 3" (2
views)
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"Monarch V"
Covered ceramic vase 8" x 4.5" x 3.5" (2 views)
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"Metamorphosis
II"
Ceramic vase 9.5" x 7" x 7" (2 views)
Sold
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"Jomon Bowl
Form II"
Ceramic bowl 5" x 9" x 9" (2 views)
Sold
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"Gui"
Ceramic pitcher 10" x 6" x 5" (2 views)
Sold
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"Vase form I"
Ceramic vase 8" x 6" x 5.5" (2 views)
Sold
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"Tei"
Ceramic bowl 6.5" x 5" x 5" (2 views)
New Mexico Museum of
International Folk Arts Collection
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"Dipper I"
Ceramic form 3.5" x 14" x 7.5"
Sold
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"Dipper II"
Ceramic form 5.5" x 15" x 5"
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Covered
ceramic vase 5.5" x 8.5" x 4.5"
Sold
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Covered
ceramic vase 6" x 5.5" x 4.5"
Sold
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Ceramic
incense burner 5.5" x 3.5" x 3.5"
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Covered
ceramic vase 4" x 6" x 3"
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"Void"
Ceramic vase 5" x 5" x 3. 5"
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Ceramic vase
6" x 6" x 3. 5"
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"Nautilus"
Ceramic vase 8.5" x 8" x 6" (2 views)
Sold
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"Day 1"
Ceramic light sculpture 8.5" x 8" x 7" (2 views)
Sold
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Exhibitions & Awards
1952 Born in Tsushima, Nagasaki
Prefecture, Kyushu
1975 Osaka Art College
1981 Apprenticeship under Bizen ceramist Joji Yamashita
1990 Established own kiln in Bizen
Honorable Mention, 52nd Itt-sui Kai Ten
1991 8th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
2nd Biennial Ceramic Exhibition
38th Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition
1st Yaki-shime Ten
Honorable Mention, 53rd Itt-sui Kai Ten
1992 9th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
30th Asahi Ceramics Exhibition
39th Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition
54th Itt-sui Kai Ten
1993 Honorable Mention, 3rd Biennial Ceramic Exhibition
31st Asahi Ceramics Exhibition
36th Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition,
China Branch
Asahi Contemporary Arts & Crafts Invitational
Exhibition
1994 11th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
Grand Prize, 2nd Yaki Shime Juried Show
Chairman’s Award, Japan Arts & Crafts Exhibition,
Chu-goku Chapter
1995 12th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
13th Japan Ceramics Exhibition
42th Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition
1996 13th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
34th Asahi Ceramics Exhibition
1997 14th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
35th Asahi Ceramics Exhibition
44th Japan Traditional Arts & Crafts Exhibition
Nominated as a permanent member of Japan Arts &
Crafts Association
1998 15th Cha-no-yu no Zo-kei Ten, Tanabe Museum
1999 37th Asahi Ceramics Exhibition
2000 3 - 4 shows every year in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe
2002 Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
2003 Kuroda Toen Gallery, Tokyo
Tenmaya, Takamatsu
Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Publications
"Omen" -
an article on Hiroyuki Wakimoto's work, by Tim Wong & Akko
Hirano. In: Ceramics: Art & Perception, no. 48, pp. 97 - 99,
2002.
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