DDW: Behind Shiny Glazing - By Creative Residency In Arita
DDW: Behind Shiny Glazing By Creative Residency In Arita
Six international designers/artists had the opportunity to freely work with porcelain in Arita (Japan) during a three-month residency. Spread over 2017 and 2018, they have developed unique projects in collaboration with several highly-skilled potters. Behind Shiny Glaze showcases the results; from raw porcelain, pigments and glaze samples to production molds, final products and some of the tools involved.
Arita’s porcelain production is divided over local artisans. They are specialized in one step of the process such as making the clay, molds, green ware, or glaze. Finally, the potter paints, glazes and fires the product at their respective kiln. When the artists and designers arrive and start to collaborate with craftsmen it’s the exchange of their professional knowledge and different perspectives which results in unconventional research and objects. Craftsmen have been challenged by the proposals they received but they have always found a way to realize the ideas in the best way they can. Creative and technical limits are pushed forward on both sides.
The program started in June 2016 based on an agreement between the Creative Industries Fund, the Dutch Embassy in Tokyo and the Saga Prefecture.
Participating Creators
Aliki van der Kruijs (The Netherlands) Helen Frik (The Netherlands) Joke Raes (Belgium) Guanlin Wan (China) Yiannis Ghikas (Greece) Bas van Beek (The Netherlands) Tilmann Meyer Faje (The Netherlands)
TALK
Date: 24 Oct 2018
Place: Van Abbemuseum
Speakers: Aliki van der Krujis, Koji Fukuda (Fukusen gama from Arita, Japan)
Time: 15:00 - 16:30
Made by Rain with Japanese Craftsmanship
Aliki van der Kruijs had previously explored this theme in her ongoing textile project ‘Made by Rain’ which employed patterns that had been captured in the form of indentations created by real drops of rain. In Arita, she and her potter partner Fukusen Gama investigated how to achieve a modest patterning on the porcelain by using real rain together with several experimental stages of glazing. After much effort, they finally found a productive way to create the desired rain patterns. In the lecture, insight will be given into the project, the production process and behind the scene stories from Aliki and Fukusen Gama.
Sponsors and partners
The program is organized by Saga Prefecture and sponsored by the Mondriaan Fund, Creative Industries Fund . It is in cooperation with The Dutch Embassy Tokyo and supported by Saga Ceramic Industrial Association, Saga Ceramic Wholesalers Association, Saga Ceramic Research Laboratory.
Design and planning
The exhibition is designed by Tijmen Smeulders . The Graphic Design is by Sebastian Fehr . The planning and direction is by Creative Residency In Arita.