en-us-Murakoshi Fugetsu 600K

Shizuka Maitani Teapot Walking will be held this year 2017 October 7th and 8th.

Master Murakoshi Fugetsu at work. Filming of Shizuka Maitani taken during the Walk in the Village of Teapots in 2014, an event dedicated to the tradition of Tokoname ceramics. It was a fantastic learning opportunity, during which visitors were accompanied through the characteristic city avenues with entire walls covered with ceramics, it proved to be an alternative technique to the lathe, but now rarely used, to create teapots with carefully tapping calibrated and were also offered the opportunity to participate in some short tea ceremonies.

Then we proceed with the creation of the cap, measured thanks to the use of a special gauge and which is demonstrated, it will fit perfectly with the central body of the kyūsu. After the shaping of the different components, therefore, the master arranges them all in parallel and performs the gesture that perhaps, among all those made up to that point, remains the one most aimed at surprising the spectators. In fact, he takes the recipient, shows it to the girl and the tourist and then, without ever stopping to smile, cuts it in half, using a special curved iron. Apparently, the aim was to better show the thickness of the vessel's walls, as well as the extraordinary malleability of the clay used in the region. It's... Absolutely terrible. The destruction of the flower, the withering of expectations, the cancellation of that same object which, in a few minutes, had managed to fascinate us to a point. A demonstration, among other things, that that thing that seemed so wonderful to us, for him, was nothing more than a test, perhaps anything but conforming to his totally different quality standards. After all, how many teapots will this man have made in the course of his long life? 100,000, one million? And how many, again, he can assemble on that same table, for us who remain to observe, forming a further spout with our own lips ...

Here: the impermanence of all things, the transience of life itself and of everything that connotes it, is one of the very pillars of a vision of the world that can truly be defined as Zen. And it is precisely in the simplicity of the gestures, combined with the nonchalance towards beauty that however remains only an illusion, that the true master sees a way to access meditation. The opportunity to sip tea, during this trip of primary importance, remains only a small detail. Nothing more than a green leaf, carried by the wind on the avenue that conducts a conversation with oneself and the very pure reality.

Fugetsu Murakoshi

Fugetsu Murakoshi studied pottery craft under the famous Mr.Jozan Yamada III., who is a human national treasure in Japan. Since 1997 Fugetsu is a member of Japan Crafts Association (Nihon Kogeikai). He won numerous awards like "Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition", "Choza Award Ceramic Art Exhibition" and "Shigaraki Ceramic Art Exhibition".

The Tokoname kiln has the longest history and had the largest production area among Japan's six old kilns (Tokoname, Shigaraki, Bizen, Tamba, Echizen, Seto). Its beginning dates back to the late Heian period (approx. 1100 AD), and an estimated 3000 Anagama kilns (tunnel kilns) were built in the hilly areas of the the Chita Peninsula in the Aichi Prefecture, centered at Tokoname City. Tsubo (jars), Kame (wide-mouthed bowls), and Yamajawan (mountain tea bowls) were made using these kilns. Tokoname wares made during the Heian period up to the early Edo period are referred to as "Old Tokoname."During the latter part of the Edo period up to the Meiji period, the adoption of China's Shudei (unglazed reddish brown pottery) and European techniques led to a rapid increase in the production of Tokoname wares. "Tokoname Ware" refers to earthenwares made since ancient times in the Aichi Prefecture, centered at Tokoname. It is still a firm favorite.

Fugetsu MURAKOSHI

• Ceramics
• 1950 -

"I work with vermilion clay, rich in iron and used for Tokoname ware, and by changing the amount of ingredients mixed into the clay I create a profound depth on the work surface. For shaping I mainly use the pottery wheel and finish works so as to leave a touch of the wheel.When firing, I create reddish brown earthenware with oxidized firing, and I also use reduced firing to make teapots with the mogake technique (wrapping the clay teapot with algae). I also create ceramics with carbonized black, or with two colors, black and red, which spontaneously fuse during firing."

Profile

Membership Full member, Japan Kogei AssociationNational Japanese Sencha Crafts Association

• 1950:Born in a pottery, Tokoname CityStudied under potter YAMADA Jozan III, living national treasureDirector, Japan Sencha Arts and Crafts AssociationSelected 7 times for Japan Traditional Art Crafts ExhibitionSelected for Japanese Ceramic Arts ExhibitionSelected for Ceramics Biennale '89Selected for Shigaraki Ceramic Art ExhibitionSelected for Mashiko Ceramics CompetitionSelected 3 times for Chunichi International Exhibition of Ceramic ArtsSelected 20 times for Tokai Traditional Art Crafts ExhibitionSelected more than 10 times for Chozasho Tokoname Ceramic ArtExhibitionSelected to submit to Grand Tea Ceremony, National Cultural FestivalCelebrating Expo 2005 Aichi JapanSelected to submit to Japan's Six Oldest Kilns Artwork ExhibitionSubmitted to Selected Artists Teapot Exhibition, Sun Gallery SumieSolo exhibition, Nihonbashi Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo,and two more solo exhibitions

Awards

• Received the First Minister of Education Incentive Awardat the 7th Japan Sencha Crafts Exhibition
• Received the Japan Senchado Association Award(at the 8th Exhibition)
• Received the Japan Sencha Arts and Crafts AssociationIncentive Award 3 times
• Received the Chozasho Award at the Chozasho Ceramics Exhibition
• Received the Incentive Award at both the Chozasho CeramicsExhibition and the Pottery Exhibition
• Received the Jozan Award at the Pottery Promotion Exhibition
• Received the Outstanding Skilled Worker Award fromthe Governor of Aichi Prefecture
• Received the Japan Kogei Association Award atthe 42th Exhibition of Japanese Traditional Ceramic Art

◎ Product size (major axis x height x weight):

• ・ ・ Approximately 14.2 cm x 6.8 cm x 155 g
• ・ ・ Approximately 14.8 cm x 14.8 cm x 11 cm

◎ Box (Vertical x Width x Height):