Makoto Hatori learned about Japanese ceramics, including designs that were created without human intervention and the natural glazing process, while working as an apprentice under a master potter of traditional ceramics in 1968 and 1974. Since then, he has continuously strived to recognize the coexistence of subjects and objects and follow the natural flow of things at every opportunity. His approach explores the relationship between nature and human beings, and his works are founded on a professional ethic and aesthetic that place value on spirituality and contemplate a shared identity with nature. Hatori's philosophy is rooted in the expressive value of the body itself, which is remembered and in motion. His approach is influenced by Japanese traditional ceramics discourse, particularly the concept of "kata" or form. He views the "work" as a "material" a "ready-made product," transformed through a change in perspective, and embraces the unknown effects that can result from this approach. Ultimately, Hatori's approach illuminates the possibilities of spurring diverse perspectives.
Makoto Hatori’s Ceramics: Embracing Non-Color and Tradition in Artistic Evolu...Makoto Hatori
My artistic journey and philosophy are deeply rooted in a profound exploration of ceramics and its connection to nature, materials, and the human experience. Through various subtopics and insights, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of my unique approach and vision:
Makoto Hatori’s Ceramics: Embracing Non-Color and Tradition in Artistic Evolu...Makoto Hatori
My artistic journey and philosophy are deeply rooted in a profound exploration of ceramics and its connection to nature, materials, and the human experience. Through various subtopics and insights, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of my unique approach and vision:
The Japanese potter Makoto Hatori works in the Bizen tradition but has developed a contemporary language in sculptural works that links his own lineage with life today. Andy Cordy re- ports. Excerpt from Ceramic Review Number 141, p.10 (May June 1993)
Breathing Life into Paper_ The Ancient Art of Paper Cutting by Sachiko Abe an...Abir Pothi
Explore the ancient art of paper cutting, from Sachiko Abe's mesmerizing installations to modern-day Kirigami artists, in this in-depth exploration of the meditative and transformative world of precision paper craftsmanship
YURIKO SAITOThe Moral Dimension of Japanese Aesthetics.docxransayo
YURIKO SAITO
The Moral Dimension of Japanese Aesthetics
Japanese aesthetics was first introduced to the
non-Japanese audience around the turn of the
twentieth century through now classic works, such
as Bushidō (1899), The Ideals of the East (1904),
and The Book of Tea (1907), all written in En-
glish and published in the United States.1 Since
then, Japanese aesthetic concepts, such as wabi,
sabi, yūgen, iki, and mono no aware, have be-
come better known, some even popularized to-
day.2 Some traditional Japanese art media, such
as flower arrangement, Noh theater, haiku, mar-
tial arts, and, perhaps most prominently, tea cere-
mony, are now widely studied and sometimes prac-
ticed outside of Japan. The authors of all these
studies generally characterize Japanese aesthet-
ics by focusing on aesthetic concepts and phe-
nomena that are “unique to” Japan and “differ-
ent from” non-Japanese aesthetic traditions, the
Western aesthetic tradition in particular.
Meanwhile, recent scholarship in Japanese
studies examines the historical and political con-
text during the rapid process of Westernization
(late nineteenth century through early twentieth
century) that prompted Japanese intellectuals at
the time to rediscover and reaffirm the character,
and sometimes superiority, of their own cultural
tradition and values, particularly aesthetics. Some
argue that, whether consciously or not, this pro-
motion of cultural nationalism paved the way for
the political ultra-nationalism that was the ideo-
logical underpinning of colonialism.3
Despite recent efforts to introduce, popularize,
or contextualize Japanese aesthetics, uncharted
territories remain. In this paper I explore one such
area: the moral dimension of Japanese aesthet-
ics. I characterize the long-held Japanese aesthetic
tradition to be morally based by promoting re-
spect, care, and consideration for others, both hu-
mans and nonhumans. Although both moral and
aesthetic dimensions of Japanese culture have, in-
dependently, received considerable attention by
scholars of Japanese aesthetics, culture, and soci-
ety, the relationship between the two has yet to
be articulated. One reason may be that there is no
specific term in either Japanese or English to cap-
ture its content. Furthermore, although this moral
dimension of aesthetic life is specifically incorpo-
rated in some arts, such as the tea ceremony and
haiku, it is deeply entrenched in people’s daily,
mundane activities and thoroughly integrated with
everyday life, rendering it rather invisible. Simi-
larly, contemporary discourse on morality has not
given much consideration to this aesthetic mani-
festation of moral values, despite the emergence
of feminist ethics, ethics of care, and virtue ethics.
Although they emphasize humility, care, and con-
siderateness, discourses on feminist ethics primar-
ily address actions or persons, not the aesthetic
qualities of the works they produce.
Japanese aesthetics suggests several ways for
culti.
He was born on December the 12th 1948 in Stefanesti, Botosani, Romania. He graduates the IP University from Iasi, Romania.He is a member of the Plastic Artists Union from Romania. In 1983 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and another one at the Rotonda Art Galleries. In 1984 he has a personal exhibition at the Victoria Art Galleries and a collective ehibition at the Artists Fall Exhibition from Iasi, Romania. In 1985 he has a personal exhibition at the Rotonda Art Galleries and another one at the Victoria Art Galleries. In 1987 he has a personal exhibition at the Victoria Art Galleries and a collective ehibition atThe Small Theatre Art Galleries, Bucharest, Romania; he also participates in the Republican Exhibition from Dalles Hall, Bucharest, Romania. In 1988 he has he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and a colective exhibition at the Art Galleries, Focsani, Romania; he also partipates in the Biannual painting exhibition from Dalles Hallroom, Bucharest, Romania 1989 He particpates at the Fall Exhibition from Iasi, Romania 1990 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi and he particpates in a collective exhibition from the Art Galleries of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova In 1992he has a personal exhibition at the Stefan Dumitrescu Galleries from Iasi, Romania and two colective exhibitions in Ausburg, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden. In 1993 he participates in a collective exhibition at the Adeko Art Galleries from Paris, France and a personal exhibition at La Petite Galerie, Paris, France. In 1998 has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and a personal exhibition at the Adeko Art Galleries from Paris, France In 1999 he has a personal exhibition at the Gheorghe Asachi Library, Iasi, Romania. In 2000 and 2002 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania. In 2004 he has a personal exhibition at the Tatarasi Atheneum Galleries, Iasi, Romania, a colective exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi, in Maintz, Germany and a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania. In 2005 he has a personal exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi, Romania. In 2007 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and he is awarded the Special Prize for Painting by the Plastic Artists Union from Iasi, Romania. In 2008 he has a colective exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi and particpates in the Fall Painting Exhibition 'Iasi 600' from WTC Iasi; he receives the Special Prize for his Art album at the International Book Fair 2008, 17th edition, Romania. In 2009 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania, a collective exhibition in Bucharest, Romania at Dragan Georgevici Galleries; he also receives the Excellence Diploma for his 2008 Exhibitions from the Plastic Artists Union, Iasi, Romania. He has works in numeorus private collections from Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, SUA.
Tokyo National Gallery - A Brief History of Japanese ArtJerry Daperro
Opened in 1968, the Tokyo National Museum includes an excellent and eclectic collection of non-Japanese Eastern art, in particular Chinese and Korean arts that ranges from textiles to sculpture and ceramics. Because of the vast scope of its exhibits, this slideshow is concentrated only on the development of art in Japan, with emphasis on the development of Japanese paintings. From the pre-historic artefacts, it is evident how little we known about the ancient cultures that existed in Japan before history. It fires our imagination as what kind of cultures that these people left behind. “Between the fourth century and the ninth century, Japan's many kingdoms and tribes gradually came to be unified under a centralized government, nominally controlled by the Emperor.” Wikipedia. This slideshow is a sketch of the major developments in paintings from its beginning in the 11C to early 20C.
Exploring Chaos and Certainty: The Enduring Vision of Makoto HatoriMakoto Hatori
In 1969, I presented a conceptual work that incorporated the externality of "sand" as a non-self-contained material. The exhibition embraced "sand" as a medium, intentionally inviting randomness and disrupting the delicate balance between things that are inherently difficult to define. This artistic exploration reflects the recognition of an emerging unknown externality, embodying the age of chaos. This was a pivotal moment that shaped my subsequent creative philosophy. During this period, Makoto Hatori's sensibility gravitated toward traditional Japanese ceramics.
A Reaffirmation of Materiality in Contemporary CeramicsMakoto Hatori
In this brief essay, I explore the idea that contemporary plastic arts have become excessively detached from "objects" as materials. I argue that this loss of materiality has serious consequences for the significance of plastic art. Needless to say, "objects" in this context refer to physical things that exist in the world. And "forms" refer to the shapes and structures of those objects. I hope that this essay will provide a starting point for discussion on the role of objects in contemporary ceramic art. I believe that This is an important issue that deserves more attention.
Fusion of Beauty and Philosophy: Makoto Hatori's Artist Statement.pdfMakoto Hatori
The decision to forgo glazes and focus on clay qualities is likened to the delicate texture of white Japanese papers. This choice adds layers of symbolism and visual depth to my ceramic work, creating a multidimensional experience for the viewers.
More Related Content
Similar to Artist Biography and Creative Philosophy of Makoto Hatori
The Japanese potter Makoto Hatori works in the Bizen tradition but has developed a contemporary language in sculptural works that links his own lineage with life today. Andy Cordy re- ports. Excerpt from Ceramic Review Number 141, p.10 (May June 1993)
Breathing Life into Paper_ The Ancient Art of Paper Cutting by Sachiko Abe an...Abir Pothi
Explore the ancient art of paper cutting, from Sachiko Abe's mesmerizing installations to modern-day Kirigami artists, in this in-depth exploration of the meditative and transformative world of precision paper craftsmanship
YURIKO SAITOThe Moral Dimension of Japanese Aesthetics.docxransayo
YURIKO SAITO
The Moral Dimension of Japanese Aesthetics
Japanese aesthetics was first introduced to the
non-Japanese audience around the turn of the
twentieth century through now classic works, such
as Bushidō (1899), The Ideals of the East (1904),
and The Book of Tea (1907), all written in En-
glish and published in the United States.1 Since
then, Japanese aesthetic concepts, such as wabi,
sabi, yūgen, iki, and mono no aware, have be-
come better known, some even popularized to-
day.2 Some traditional Japanese art media, such
as flower arrangement, Noh theater, haiku, mar-
tial arts, and, perhaps most prominently, tea cere-
mony, are now widely studied and sometimes prac-
ticed outside of Japan. The authors of all these
studies generally characterize Japanese aesthet-
ics by focusing on aesthetic concepts and phe-
nomena that are “unique to” Japan and “differ-
ent from” non-Japanese aesthetic traditions, the
Western aesthetic tradition in particular.
Meanwhile, recent scholarship in Japanese
studies examines the historical and political con-
text during the rapid process of Westernization
(late nineteenth century through early twentieth
century) that prompted Japanese intellectuals at
the time to rediscover and reaffirm the character,
and sometimes superiority, of their own cultural
tradition and values, particularly aesthetics. Some
argue that, whether consciously or not, this pro-
motion of cultural nationalism paved the way for
the political ultra-nationalism that was the ideo-
logical underpinning of colonialism.3
Despite recent efforts to introduce, popularize,
or contextualize Japanese aesthetics, uncharted
territories remain. In this paper I explore one such
area: the moral dimension of Japanese aesthet-
ics. I characterize the long-held Japanese aesthetic
tradition to be morally based by promoting re-
spect, care, and consideration for others, both hu-
mans and nonhumans. Although both moral and
aesthetic dimensions of Japanese culture have, in-
dependently, received considerable attention by
scholars of Japanese aesthetics, culture, and soci-
ety, the relationship between the two has yet to
be articulated. One reason may be that there is no
specific term in either Japanese or English to cap-
ture its content. Furthermore, although this moral
dimension of aesthetic life is specifically incorpo-
rated in some arts, such as the tea ceremony and
haiku, it is deeply entrenched in people’s daily,
mundane activities and thoroughly integrated with
everyday life, rendering it rather invisible. Simi-
larly, contemporary discourse on morality has not
given much consideration to this aesthetic mani-
festation of moral values, despite the emergence
of feminist ethics, ethics of care, and virtue ethics.
Although they emphasize humility, care, and con-
siderateness, discourses on feminist ethics primar-
ily address actions or persons, not the aesthetic
qualities of the works they produce.
Japanese aesthetics suggests several ways for
culti.
He was born on December the 12th 1948 in Stefanesti, Botosani, Romania. He graduates the IP University from Iasi, Romania.He is a member of the Plastic Artists Union from Romania. In 1983 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and another one at the Rotonda Art Galleries. In 1984 he has a personal exhibition at the Victoria Art Galleries and a collective ehibition at the Artists Fall Exhibition from Iasi, Romania. In 1985 he has a personal exhibition at the Rotonda Art Galleries and another one at the Victoria Art Galleries. In 1987 he has a personal exhibition at the Victoria Art Galleries and a collective ehibition atThe Small Theatre Art Galleries, Bucharest, Romania; he also participates in the Republican Exhibition from Dalles Hall, Bucharest, Romania. In 1988 he has he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and a colective exhibition at the Art Galleries, Focsani, Romania; he also partipates in the Biannual painting exhibition from Dalles Hallroom, Bucharest, Romania 1989 He particpates at the Fall Exhibition from Iasi, Romania 1990 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi and he particpates in a collective exhibition from the Art Galleries of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova In 1992he has a personal exhibition at the Stefan Dumitrescu Galleries from Iasi, Romania and two colective exhibitions in Ausburg, Germany and Stockholm, Sweden. In 1993 he participates in a collective exhibition at the Adeko Art Galleries from Paris, France and a personal exhibition at La Petite Galerie, Paris, France. In 1998 has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and a personal exhibition at the Adeko Art Galleries from Paris, France In 1999 he has a personal exhibition at the Gheorghe Asachi Library, Iasi, Romania. In 2000 and 2002 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania. In 2004 he has a personal exhibition at the Tatarasi Atheneum Galleries, Iasi, Romania, a colective exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi, in Maintz, Germany and a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania. In 2005 he has a personal exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi, Romania. In 2007 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania and he is awarded the Special Prize for Painting by the Plastic Artists Union from Iasi, Romania. In 2008 he has a colective exhibition at the World Trade Centre Iasi and particpates in the Fall Painting Exhibition 'Iasi 600' from WTC Iasi; he receives the Special Prize for his Art album at the International Book Fair 2008, 17th edition, Romania. In 2009 he has a personal exhibition at the Cupola Art Galleries from Iasi, Romania, a collective exhibition in Bucharest, Romania at Dragan Georgevici Galleries; he also receives the Excellence Diploma for his 2008 Exhibitions from the Plastic Artists Union, Iasi, Romania. He has works in numeorus private collections from Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, SUA.
Tokyo National Gallery - A Brief History of Japanese ArtJerry Daperro
Opened in 1968, the Tokyo National Museum includes an excellent and eclectic collection of non-Japanese Eastern art, in particular Chinese and Korean arts that ranges from textiles to sculpture and ceramics. Because of the vast scope of its exhibits, this slideshow is concentrated only on the development of art in Japan, with emphasis on the development of Japanese paintings. From the pre-historic artefacts, it is evident how little we known about the ancient cultures that existed in Japan before history. It fires our imagination as what kind of cultures that these people left behind. “Between the fourth century and the ninth century, Japan's many kingdoms and tribes gradually came to be unified under a centralized government, nominally controlled by the Emperor.” Wikipedia. This slideshow is a sketch of the major developments in paintings from its beginning in the 11C to early 20C.
Exploring Chaos and Certainty: The Enduring Vision of Makoto HatoriMakoto Hatori
In 1969, I presented a conceptual work that incorporated the externality of "sand" as a non-self-contained material. The exhibition embraced "sand" as a medium, intentionally inviting randomness and disrupting the delicate balance between things that are inherently difficult to define. This artistic exploration reflects the recognition of an emerging unknown externality, embodying the age of chaos. This was a pivotal moment that shaped my subsequent creative philosophy. During this period, Makoto Hatori's sensibility gravitated toward traditional Japanese ceramics.
A Reaffirmation of Materiality in Contemporary CeramicsMakoto Hatori
In this brief essay, I explore the idea that contemporary plastic arts have become excessively detached from "objects" as materials. I argue that this loss of materiality has serious consequences for the significance of plastic art. Needless to say, "objects" in this context refer to physical things that exist in the world. And "forms" refer to the shapes and structures of those objects. I hope that this essay will provide a starting point for discussion on the role of objects in contemporary ceramic art. I believe that This is an important issue that deserves more attention.
Fusion of Beauty and Philosophy: Makoto Hatori's Artist Statement.pdfMakoto Hatori
The decision to forgo glazes and focus on clay qualities is likened to the delicate texture of white Japanese papers. This choice adds layers of symbolism and visual depth to my ceramic work, creating a multidimensional experience for the viewers.
Contemporary plastic arts are extremely detached from "objects" as materials, and their loss of materiality is serious. When "things" as materials, which should firmly support forms, are adrift, it is nothing more than "plastic arts" in which only forms are floating. In other words, the disconnection between "object" and "form," the loss of a sense of materiality, is also the drifting away of the relationship between "thing" and "person. To recover its artistic mission from the tendency, especially in contemporary ceramics, to be dwelled on the decoration without looking at the object, it is necessary to confirm the will of handwork to the "object" as a material. The question is why do I need such materials?
Expression of Mind and Body "Physicality: Sumi-e/ Suiboku Sansui"Makoto Hatori
“Physicality: 墨絵Sumi-e/ 水墨山水Suiboku Sansui (07-03-1),” (W)110.0- (D)49.0- (H)19.0 cm. Stoneware (non glaze), pigment, iron rod, epoxy. Stoneware (the pieces have textures of lusterless tones, such as a Japanese paper tone), pigment, iron rod, epoxy. Electric kiln and charcoal smoked, fired 1250 degrees C. in reduction, mixed media. Year of production 2021.
"Non-color; Otherness (10-28-6)," (w)122.0–(d)75.0–(h)13.5 cm, hand-built stoneware elements assembled over some threaded iron rod, non glaze with slip, silicon tube, iron rod and epoxy, electric kiln, fired 1250 degrees C. in reduction. 8th Gyenggi International ceramic Biennale 2017, Rep. of Korea. Exhibited at Icheon World Ceramic Center 263, Gyeongchung-daero 2697 beongil, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 17379, Rep.of Korea. April 22-October 9, 2017.
"Parasitism," (w)34.0-(d)19.0-(h)205.0 cm, wheel-thrown and stoneware with slip, wood-fired, and charcoal smoked, 1280 degrees C. in reduction, wood, and epoxy. Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennial 2015, Rep. of Korea. Exhibited at Icheon World Ceramic Center 167-29, Gyeongchung-daero 2697 Beon-gil, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 467- 020, Rep. of Korea, April 24- May 31, 2015.
"Barley Field," (w)102.0-(d)16.5-(h)38.5 cm, stoneware and slip painting, traditional way fired to 1250 degrees C. oxidation, eight-day firing. World ceramic Biennial 2003 Korea, International Competition. Exhibited at Ichon World Ceramic Center, South Korea, September 1- October 30, 2003.
"On the Impulse of Curiosity," (w)99.0-(d)39.0-(h)44.0 cm, stoneware with slip, sprayed solution of salt, wire additions, traditional way fired to 1250 degrees C., oxidation, eight-day firing. The mass of small wheel-thrown tubes cements another reality. The 1st World Ceramic Biennial 2001 Korea, International Competition. Exhibited at World Ceramic Center, Ichon, Korea, August 10- October 28, 2001.
Studio Pottery, Number 4, pp. 23-26 (Aug./Sept.1993) Studio Pottery is a bi-monthly magazine, intended as a useful and readable companion for all those interested in pottery and ceramic in the U.K. - 15 Magdalen Road, Exeter
The Beauty of Soul, Beauty of Form: Naturally-glazed Ceramics and HaikuMakoto Hatori
The Log Book, Issue 22. 2005, pp.3-7, The International Publication for Woodfirers and those interested in Woodfired Ceramics - P.O.Box 612, Scariff, Co.Clare, Republic of Ireland
The relationship between traditional food culture (kaiseki) and ceramics.
CPA News, The Newsletter of the Craft Potters Association of Great Britain, Number76, p.6 (March/April 2001).
"Communication as information or the intervention of the intellect" was published on a home page Old “Studio Pottery" – www.studiopottery.co.uk --- under the title of “Linearity in Tradition”, October 2003.
2137ad Merindol Colony Interiors where refugee try to build a seemengly norm...luforfor
This are the interiors of the Merindol Colony in 2137ad after the Climate Change Collapse and the Apocalipse Wars. Merindol is a small Colony in the Italian Alps where there are around 4000 humans. The Colony values mainly around meritocracy and selection by effort.
Explore the multifaceted world of Muntadher Saleh, an Iraqi polymath renowned for his expertise in visual art, writing, design, and pharmacy. This SlideShare delves into his innovative contributions across various disciplines, showcasing his unique ability to blend traditional themes with modern aesthetics. Learn about his impactful artworks, thought-provoking literary pieces, and his vision as a Neo-Pop artist dedicated to raising awareness about Iraq's cultural heritage. Discover why Muntadher Saleh is celebrated as "The Last Polymath" and how his multidisciplinary talents continue to inspire and influence.
2137ad - Characters that live in Merindol and are at the center of main storiesluforfor
Kurgan is a russian expatriate that is secretly in love with Sonia Contado. Henry is a british soldier that took refuge in Merindol Colony in 2137ad. He is the lover of Sonia Contado.
Hadj Ounis's most notable work is his sculpture titled "Metamorphosis." This piece showcases Ounis's mastery of form and texture, as he seamlessly combines metal and wood to create a dynamic and visually striking composition. The juxtaposition of the two materials creates a sense of tension and harmony, inviting viewers to contemplate the relationship between nature and industry.
Artist Biography and Creative Philosophy of Makoto Hatori
1. Artist Biography and Creative Philosophy of Makoto Hatori
Makoto Hatori was born in Japan in 1947. He apprenticed under a master of traditional
Japanese ceramics in 1968 and again in 1974. Following the completion of his bachelor's
degree in sculpture at the Nihon University College of Art in 1972, he went on to research
clay and glazes at the Gifu Prefectural Institute of Ceramics from 1972 to 1974. In 1975, he
established his own ceramics studio in Tamatukuri, Ibaraki Prefecture, with a traditional
firing kiln that he designed. Between 1975 and 2006, while running this studio, he
produced traditional ceramics and exhibited them nationally. In 2007, he relocated his
studio to Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture, where he has been based ever since.
Since 1978, Makoto Hatori has been selected for numerous international exhibitions and
has won awards across the globe, including in Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand, Egypt,
Belgium, Germany, Lithuania, the U.S.A., Croatia, South Africa, Australia, Taiwan, Estonia,
Korea, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, France, Romania, Turkey, and Latvia. In 1992, he was a
ceramics tutor in the Department of Art and Design at Manchester Polytechnic, now
Manchester Metropolitan University. From 1994 to 1996, he was a member of the
Contemporary Applied Arts in England.
Makoto Hatori has also been invited to participate in a number of international symposia
and conferences, including the International Ceramic Symposium by the Lithuania
Panevezys City Council in 1996 and 1998, Earth and Fire by the Craft Potters Association of
Great Britain in 1997, the International Woodfiring Symposium at the International
Ceramics Studio, Hungary, in 2006, and the 2nd ICMEA (International Ceramic Magazine
2. Editors Association) Conference at Fuping Pottery Art Village, Fuping, Shaanxi, China, in
2007.
In addition to his work as a ceramic artist, Makoto Hatori has written many reviews for
international ceramics magazines, and his writing has been cited in other publications.
http://www2r.biglobe.ne.jp/~makoto-h/
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Makoto Hatori apprenticed under a master potter of traditional ceramics in 1968 and 1974
to learn Japanese ceramics (in which design without human intervention and supreme
artificial beauty co-exist) as well as the mechanism of natural glaze (what he calls “non-
glaze,” or beauty by nature’s design). Twelve thousand years ago, the 縄文 Jōmon 土器 doki
(Jōmon- era ceramics) was invented, with the historic, ancient kilns that beat with the inner
nature of the people. What was gained from that pursuit was the teaching to connote
nature, the spiritual other, and to recognize one’s own presence. Of course, this revelation
was gained later on, in retrospect. Since the time of his training, he has repeatedly worked
to recognize the coexistence of subject and other, following the natural flow of “as it is” at
every opportunity. To be “無為自然 mui-shizen,” or “as it is,” is to be awakened to the wide-
spreading blank space of externality, the perception of the unmade outer world. The
banquet of that holy natural glaze, which sublimates the impure, was a gift from nature that
allowed him to make strides in his act of firing, the performance with nature, from the
known to the unknown. Hatori feels a “bashfulness”—an aesthetic—towards the
uncorrelated input and output of incidents, discord between the body and mind, and he has
related the connotations of “as it is,” what lies at the heart of the unknown, to his
professional ethics. Hatori was stirred by the vague and undefinable unknown, which is an
empty seat that ought to contain something, indicating that one’s existence is not
independent of relativity.
*************************************************************************************************
In the 1969 exhibition "L’espoir: Makoto Hatori", he had already exhibited sculptural works
that refer to externality. The works in the show used materials such as wood, cloth, and
plaster, and he also used sand as a material representing anti-self-containment. The works
were not autonomous objects, but by using sand, which defies the regulations of co-
embodiment, they became events that disrupt equilibrium. This was an invitation to the
unknown, the external, and a search for an undifferentiated formation. Hatori does not
3. have within him the historicity of philosophy derived from tradition. Hatori was seeing
modern perspectives on nature, values, and the principle of making and questioning such
historical viewpoints through the perspective of nature found in traditional non-glazed
pottery. Valuing spirituality and meditating on a shared identity with nature was how his
entire self was baptized in that fire. This was not something new to him—a gesture that led
the way to being "as it is." His works based on traditional techniques, which were acquired
by the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1993 and the British Museum in
1996, are built on this professional ethic and aesthetic.
Left: "Phase" Three semicircular vessels, each filled with different amounts of sand. Right: "Relation" A cloth bag
filled with sand is placed in a crisscross pattern on a cylindrical shape made of plaster. Thus, the exhibition
featured abstract works made of plaster, wood, cloth (canvas), and sand. Makoto Hatori's intention was to
express a "state" of expanding physicality through "sand," a material that causes accidental displacement. The
idea of the state of physicality and materiality behind this work continues to exist in my work. The solo
exhibition "L'espoir: Makoto Hatori" was held at the former Surugadai Gallery in Kanda, Tokyo, in 1969.
Left: "Bizen-style Faceted Mizu-sashi," 19.5 centimeters in height, wood-fired stoneware with natural wood ash,
fire change, traditional way fired at 1280 degrees C., eight-day firing. Right: "Ring," 33.0 centimeters in height,
stoneware and slip painting, traditional way fired at 1300 degrees C., oxidation, eight-day firing. Both works
were exhibited in the exhibition 'Makoto Hatori' at the former Lee Gallery, London, June 15 to 27, 1993, and
were acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, UK, 1993.
4. Left: "Bizen-style Wide-mouthed Bulbous," (w) 21.0, (d) 21.0, (h) 31.0 cm, wood-fired stoneware with natural
wood ash, fire change, traditional way fired at 1280 degrees C., eight-day firing. Right: "Bizen-style Cylindrical
Lidded Pottery Mizu-sashi," (w) 19.0, (d) 19.0, (h) 17.0 cm, thrown and altered stoneware with natural wood ash,
sesame seed-fired decoration, Bizen traditional way fired at 1300 degrees C. oxidation, eight-day firing. Both of
the works, included in the collection of the British Museum (U.K.) in 1996. It is also featured in Amedeo
Salamoni's "Wood-Fired Ceramics: 100 Contemporary Artists," with a foreword by Jack Troy (Schiffer Publishing,
Ltd., 2014), pp. 90–91.
*************************************************************************************************
“Vessel: Otherness”, which won an
award at the 2014 Triennial of
Silicate Arts in Hungary, is a 12-
pieces composite work lined up in
two rows and made with traditional
firing methods. The harmonious
condition of the fire (nature) and
person (maker). It was a liberation
from the self-containment of
conventional vases, a proposal to
return to the opened condition of
bringing in the external. The placement of the works is based on probability. They are
placed exactly as they were before they were fired, in relation to the grate in the kiln and
the vent, referring to the work’s condition before it was fired and became the work it is. For
the time being, these were pushed back into the "material" by him.
By repeatedly deforming the concentric circles that correct the "form" formed by the
potter’s wheel, he attempts to acquire flexible "material." The next process, traditional firing,
which may be understood as a device beyond our power, causes 窯 変 yohen (accidental
coloring or glazing by flame) that produces a natural wood-ash glaze, a gift from nature, on
5. the fired ceramic. It is the destruction of the "neatness" (form) created by nature. Instead of
adhering to 居付 itsuki, or the immobile and stagnant state of being a "completed form," he
has come to accept this work and its atypical aesthetic as an alternative variant (which is
also an involuntary "occurrence").
Examples of such variants include the discerning eye of the wabi-sabi practice that
simultaneously conforms to and defies aesthetic legitimacy, its representation of
heterogeneity and heteromorphic forms, and the concept of 狂者 kuruimono—the stylized
eccentric persona that was deemed an aesthetic refinement—enacted by dancers and
entertainers in Japan, who characterized the ideas of 婆娑羅 basara (ostentatious behavior)
and 歌 舞 伎 kabuki (out-of-the-ordinary behavior) developed in the medieval and early
modern periods, respectively. This atypical aesthetic is understood here as “kata (form),”
one of the key concepts of the Japanese traditional ceramics discourse. For him, kata is a
“work” with utility, completed by an action dictated by traditional standards.
The created object as a system is doomed to acquire some kind of expressiveness, which is
what he calls 居 付 itsuki. He doesn’t see this as completion in an unambiguous and
fundamental sense, and, instead, he abandons his identity as the subject performing
alterations and “creations.” This can be seen as an overwriting of the concept of “material”
by considering the “work” as a "ready-made product—a transformation in perspective on
those that have been created. The ready-made, created by assemblage and combinations,
stands as an expression of an action to be taken—that is, transformation into a dynamic
entity. Aesthetic factors composed by an assemblage are full of infinite possibilities and
embrace unknown effects. Here, the self-contained nature of creation transforms into an
involuntary occurrence and “shifts” into a state of openness that encompasses the object to
be seen as well as the viewer. It does not, however, mean that such creations are recreated.
This “shift” is expressed in such a way that it illuminates the possibilities of spurring diverse
perspectives.
Here, the theme is not to create “kata (form)” but rather to present a “raw state,” in which
the work is transformed into an open physicality—an ambivalent, bodily image that sees
and is seen simultaneously. This can be called “contact improvisation,” which is not to view
the “performed” dance, but instead to instantly give form to the body by performing and
enacting the physical characteristics of the diverse Others. In contriving such an encounter
between himself and the Others, his presence is inscribed into the work. The basis of his
work is an expressive value of object in itself that is “remembered” and in motion.
Originating from “kata (型, model),” “kata (形, form)” comes and goes ceaselessly between
the two homonyms “カタ, kata.” In traditional Japanese arts (芸道 geido), where arts and
moral philosophy merge to form a circle, kata (型, model) functions as an ambivalent bodily
image that involves interiority and exteriority. The "model" kata exists as an immutable and
6. unshakable being that constantly changes at the same time each time its homophone “kata
(形, form),” is enacted as a visual event.
Above: "Vessel: Otherness," as a whole of the installation (w) 76.0, (d) 27.0, (h) 20.0 cm, wheel-thrown,
stoneware with natural glaze, fire change, traditional way fired at 1260 degrees C., in reduction. The work was
exhibited at the 4th International Triennial of Silicate Arts in Hungary at the Kecskemét Cultural and Conference
Centre from August 3 to September 7, 2014.
*************************************************************************************************
Next, ignoring the chronological order, we present "Ripples of Water," an installation work
presented at the International Ceramics Symposium in Lithuania in 1996, and "5-7-5,"
presented in 1998. These works rejected colors or glaze, joined natural wood and fired
ceramics, and are a structuralization of how bilateral relationships are formed by external
effects that are not objectified. Similarly, the works exhibited in the 2001, 2003, 2015,
2017, and 2019 <on the web> International Ceramic Biennial, in South Korea were works
that were awakened to the perceptions generated by the resonance between ceramics and
other materials and natural ceramics and ceramics. Hatori has written about how self-
contained representations merely become objects, lacking physicality, in his essay “Beauty
of Soul, Beauty of Form: Naturally-glazed Ceramics and Haiku” (The Log Book, Issue 22,
2005, pp. 3–7).
Left: "On the Impulse of Curiosity," (w) 99.0, (d) 39.0, (h) 44.0 cm, stoneware and slip painting, with aluminum
cable additions, traditional way fired at 1250 degrees C., oxidation, eight-day firing. The 1st World Ceramic
Biennial 2001. Exhibited at the World Ceramic Center, Ichon, Korea, August 10 to October 28, 2001. Right:
"Barley Field," (w) 102.0, (d) 16.5, (h) 38.5 cm, stoneware and slip painting, traditional way fired at 1250 degrees
C., oxidation, eight-day firing. World Ceramic Biennial 2003. Exhibited at the Ichon World Ceramic Center,
South Korea, September 1 to October 30, 2003.
7. Left: "Mizu no Hamon: Water Ripples," consists of stoneware (non-glazed with slip,) with wood additions, and a
sprayed solution of salt, fired in a gas kiln at 1380 degrees C., over two days in an oxidized atmosphere. The
piece in the back "Mu," also made at the 1996 Panevezys International Ceramic Symposium in Lithuania,
exhibited at the Panevezys Civic Art Gallery from August 2 to October 6, 1996. Right: “5-7-5,” approximately
170 cm in hight, created at the 1988 Panevezis International Ceramics Symposium and exhibited at the
Panevezis Civic Art Museum from July 31 to October 4, 1998. This work is featured in Emanuel Cooper's book
Contemporary Ceramics (Thames & Hudson, 2009) and is also used as a resource for ceramics education in the
UK.
*************************************************************************************************
For the work exhibited in the 35th International Ceramic Competition L’Alcora, "Non-color,"
he considered the color white as a thing that expresses the ambiguity of both co-
embodiment and decolorization, of the discrepancy of the mind and body that lies within,
as the expression of the unwavering unknown, which he calls " 非色 (non-color)." Makoto
Hatori based his idea of "self" on this. By layering "white" on himself, he sought to cleanse
his mind and transform himself (rewrite notions). White is the color of the gods in the
religion of our people (though the masses have turned their tastes from religion to
entertainment) and contains the ambiguity of wholeheartedness and supreme ecstasy, as
well as life and death (the tradition of white as a color of mourning comes from the larger
continent and peninsula of Asia). If that is not an explanation but a presentation of an
opened state of being that contains the externality, he thought he should use a physical
technique that renders the relationship of ceramics and other materials as physical
components.
8. Left: "Non color," as a whole of the installation (w) 95.0, (d) 53.0, (h) 9.0 cm, stoneware (non-glazed with slip,)
with aluminum board, the electric kiln and charcoal smoked, fired at 1250 degrees C., reduction; exhibited at
the Ceramic Museum of L'Alcora, Spain, June 26 to September 6, 2015. Right: "Non color; Otherness," as a
whole of the installation (w) 122.0, (d) 75.0, (h) 13.5 cm, stoneware (non-glazed with slip,) assembled through
thin iron road, with silicon tube, electric kiln and charcoal smoked, fired at 1250 degrees C., reduction;
exhibited at the 8th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennial 2017, Republic of Korea, Icheon World Ceramic
Center 263, Gyeongchung-daero 2697 beongil, Icheon, Republic of Korea, 17379, Gyeonggi-si, April 22 to
October 9, 2017.
*************************************************************************************************
The answer was in the unquantifiable act of drawing (a physical discipline). Human bodies
are an ambiguous existence in the first place, a physical existence equipped with both
internal and external components. Mutual interactions between oneself and others are
established because it is possible to relate to the external, and this happening is generated
simultaneously. The work entitled “State” relates the otherness or externality of its physical
state as a living phenomenon of that corresponding relationship. For instance, the iron of
the non-ceramic material with diversity and versatility that transcends perception after
numerous repetitions of bending and stretching stops being iron, and through this
continuous change, its flexible condition forms a living co-embodiment with ceramics. The
non-autonomous condition of incidents is to continuously change its synchronization with
the other, the “paper” (the act of drawing) itself, thrown in without any context.
"A State (02-31-2)" as a whole installation:
(w) 142.0, (d) 70.0, (h) 15.0 cm. objects
(ceramic, iron): (w) 105.0, (d) 58.0, (h)
15.0 cm, 2 sheets of paper (drawing) each
(h) 31.0, (w) 24.0 cm. Hand-built
Stoneware (non-glazed, high fire), with
iron bar. Electric kiln and charcoal
smoked, fired at 1250 degrees C. in
reduction. The 4th Cluj International
Ceramic Biennial, Exhibited at Cluj
Museum of Art, Romania, August 15 to
September 20, 2019.
9. The act of drawing, which involves the movement of my body, is a practice of encountering
the unpredictability of the relationship between the viewer and the viewed. The work "A
State" or "The State of Being" is composed of the paper (drawing) on which he draws, and
explaining it may risk making it seem like a gimmick. This is because an arbitrary element
is introduced, and the relationship between different elements is disrupted. When viewed
through the lens of physicality, various materials are inherently different, and fragmented
phenomena go beyond his intentions. It must be a third-party presence and not a
decoration of the subject ceramic.
*************************************************************************************************
In 2020, a pandemic has descended upon us. Our preexisting notions of subject and object
have collapsed, and we have been confronted with the unforeseeable. Seeking to reaffirm
the presence of the subject and object as a unified whole, he looks to traditional 墨絵/水墨画
sumi-e/suiboku-ga (ink-wash painting) in Japan. Using brush lines to embody the physicality
of his mind and body, he consider this "Physicality" series to be a kind of intellectual 水墨画
suiboku-ga (traditional landscape painting in water ink) by ceramic art. To the traditions
that need to be retraced.
"Physicality: 墨絵 Sumi-e/ 水墨
山水 Suiboku Sansui (07-03-2),"
(w) 107.0, (d) 51.0, (h) 14.5 cm,
stoneware, non-glazed (the
pieces have textures of
lusterless tones, such as a
Japanese paper tone), pigment,
with iron rod. Electric kiln and
charcoal smoked, fired at 1250
degrees C. in reduction. The
Contest of Unique Piece
N.A.CE. 2021. XIII National
Fair of Pottery and Ceramics,
NAVARRETE · La Rioja, Spain,
July 16 to 18, 2021. The piece
remained on display until
August 30, 2021.
*************************************************************************************************
Needless to say, ceramic art is rooted in the earth. Although clay is usually considered a
mere base material in ceramic art, the clay itself exists in its own right as the concept and
motif of his work. By exploring the materiality of the medium and attempting to grasp its
essence, he extends this traditional art form into contemporary art. By choosing not to
apply glazes and thus rejecting artificial aesthetic enhancement, he contemplates the
10. object’s inner essence. In this way, his work becomes conceptual art and seeks to transcend
the so-called autotelism often associated with ceramics (the notion that a ceramic object
becomes a work of art through the process of firing and is an end in itself, often lacking a
conceptual framework).
"Non-Color: From Destruction
to Regeneration," (w) 62.5, (d)
52.0, (h) 25.0 cm. The
stoneware is made of a unique
blend of clay, non-glazed, with
a Japanese paper-tone texture
and a non-glossy finish. A
1.6mm ultra-thin iron plate
supports the ceramic plate
from below. The rectangular
shape in the center of the
ceramic plate is coated with 胡
粉 gofun (white pigment made
from ground seashells and
glue) on paper clay, and
pierced with shards of
porcelain. The piece was fired in an electric kiln, smoked with charcoal, and reduced at 1250℃.
Created in 2023.
As already mentioned, his theme "non-color" is his aesthetic, which aims to realize the
ultimate of the traditional natural glaze (non-glaze) way of thinking of Japan and to
construct works that express the memory and continuous change of the body itself through
the control of its expressive consciousness. The material itself, put together in a common
body, plays an important role in its embodiment. The unglazed "ceramic," with its 和紙
washi-like texture and milky white surface, symbolizes the spiritual world, while the non-
ceramic material that will eventually decay symbolizes the imperfect perceptual world. All
things are in flux, in an endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This constant
transformation shows the existence of "things." There, he superimposes himself existence.
Asked whether he finds any tension between his traditional work and the more sculptural pieces,
Hatori comments:
One cannot help but be attracted by the deep presence of tradition, but we hope that this tradition
will not remain narrow and particular. I want to give contemporary expression to the essence of
tradition while at the same time keeping an eye on the essence of it. A true work of art is not merely
the expression of an individual's thoughts but is self-expression through design backed by tradition. I
feel that the current trend in ceramics to ignore the material and concentrate on decoration without
paying attention to the object is a deviation from art.
May 2023.