Woodfired Stoneware from Shigaraki

Dateline: 06/29/98

oodfired Stoneware from Shigaraki, by Shiho Kanzaki opens with a beautiful image of the Shigaraki Pottery Valley by Tsutomu Odu, helping to put the screen text into the context of the 'real world'. This is a well made, matured site, with a consistent design which is relatively easy to wander through using the navigation bar at the bottom of each page.

New editions to the site are noted on the 'what's new' page, beginning at the time of inception in April 1996 up to the current edition of June 1998 (at the time of writing). The next section tells us about the History of Shigaraki Pottery, a region where documented habitation dates back 15,000 years. Stoneware pottery in the Shigaraki area began during the Middle Ages, with a close association to the medieval 'Sueki' style and tradition - work which was fired in Anagama kilns and had natural ash glazes. As the 'way of tea' ('michi' - see also web site review of Japanese Culture Seen in Kanazawa, Ceramics Art & Perception issue 27) and the Zen philosophy gained popularity between the 14th & 16th centuries, Shigaraki was selected for the production of tea utensils. The qualities of the ensuing pottery may be named "wabi and sabi", meaning asymmetric, simple, subtle and refined, restrained and lustred. Thanks to "michi" crude medieval farmhouse utensils made way for revered objects of contemplation.

In the history section of the site, we can also look up the "Nihon Rokkoyo" or "Chose Rokkoyo" - the "six oldest pottery centers in Japan" and view their locations on a map. From here we can also link to pages on ancient Shigaraki and Tamba pottery, both replete with thumbnails and optional enlargements of pottery from those regions.

But history and ancient pottery is not all this site has to offer. On a more contemporary note, we can visit the 'Virtual Exhibition' which features work not only by Shiho Kanzaki (Japan), the author of the site, but also woodfired or Anagama ceramics from Dick Lehman (USA), Peter Voulkos (USA), Karl Beamer (USA), Jeff Shapiro (USA), Chester Nealie (Australia), Toshiko Takaezu (USA) and others. Each page features an image of the artist (again putting the computer screen into the context of the 'real' world), a CV and statement and a number of images of each persons œvre.

A further section of the site deals with the 'theory' of Anagama firing - here Shiho Kanzaki offers us his experience and even a kiln plan or two, with images of different stages of construction. Voulkos fans can also read about his visit to Shigaraki with Peter Callas in spring 1995, when he made a number of platters, later to be fired in the Anagama. Images of this work form part of the 'Virtual Exhibition'.

Shiho Kanzaki is not only an accomplished potter, but with the help of his friend Dick Lehman, has created a wonderful site devoted to woodfiring and the tradition of Anagama.

Related Sites:
Anagama
Ceramics Pioneer Peter Voulkos
Japanese Culture seen in Kanazawa
Japanese Ceramics