photo: SAIKI Taku
Oblate-shaped pot, deep and brilliant glaze
| Artist | TOKUDA Yasokichi III |
|---|---|
| Year | 1989 |
| Material/ Technique | color-glazed porcelain |
| Size/ Duration | H32 × φ32cm |
| Copyright Notice | © TOKUDA Yasokichi IV |
| Year of acquisition/ donation | 2007（寄附採納年月日：2007/02/02） |
| Description | Born in Ishikawa, Japan in 1933. Died there in 2009. Grandson of the first TOKUDA Yasokichi and son of the second, a ceramic artist, amid interactions and collaborations with artists across a broad range of genres Yasokichi III pushed the boundaries of contemporary ‘iro-e’ (overglaze enamel) Kutani ware. Using scientific methods based on traditional ‘Ko-Kutani’ (Old Kutani) techniques to conduct exhaustive research, in accordance with his unconventional belief that “changes in illustrative style are what Kutani tradition is all about,” Tokuda moved away from the previous Kutani predilection for nature scenes and traditional patterns, identifying a contemporary quality in the development of glazes purely as lustrous materials radiating vibrant colors, and in 1983 establishing an original style dubbed ‘yosai,’ literally ‘gleaming colors.’ In 1988 he took on the title Tokuda Yasokichi III, and in 1997 was designated a protector of Important Intangible Cultural Property (color-glazed porcelain). Tokuda’s color-glazed porcelain vessels employ the basic colors of yellow, green, indigo blue and purple, ie the five traditional Kutani-ware colors excluding red. By studying the blending of glazes and developing a technique of firing at over 1000 degrees, he extended his palette to in excess of a hundred colors, thus achieving a quantum leap from the subdued, somber tones of the past to an extraordinary vibrancy. Through a body of work encompassing the two extremes of multi-hued yosai and monochromatic ‘shinko yosai’ (deep multicolored glaze) Tokuda tirelessly explored the possibilities of his highly original take on ceramic design. "Bowl, floral design, brilliant glaze" is an example of Tokuda’s yosai oeuvre in which 50 differentcolored glazes have been applied to the hard white ground of a large pot polished silky smooth, the flow of the glazes and gradations in color imparting a technicolor brilliance. Each of this group of eleven blue shinko yosai pieces, starting with "Pot, deep and brilliant glaze", exudes a taut intensity, and collectively they offer a dynamic demonstration of the changes in form testament to Tokuda’s broad artistic range. |
NOTES
This Collection Data page contains the works and materials in the collection of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, as of April 1, 2018.
Artists are listed alphabetically by artist’s surname.
Works and materials by the same artists are listed according to the date of the work in principle.
Works whose dates are unidentified are listed at the end of each item. Some works are not listed according to the date of work due to their relations.
The data of works and materials are listed in order of title, production year, material/technique/form, dimensions, donor’s name, copyright holder and credit for photograph.
Dimensions are given by height (H) x width (W) in centimeters for plane work, and height (H) x width (W) x depth (D) in cm for 3-D work. Diameter (Ø) is used for circular work.
For the name of country or city, the name currently used in English is listed in principle.