June 1 to 3, 2017 at Sara Japanese Pottery
Artist reception: 6pm to 8pm, June 1, 2017
Artist: Akihiro Nikaido
Born 1977 in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
After studying ceramics at a technical school, he moved in 2002 to Mashiko, a town famous for its ceramic art.
His studio was severely damaged by the earthquake disaster of March 11, 2011, and as a result, he relocated to the countryside of Chiba prefecture in 2015.
Nikaido has many faces to him, much like the surfaces of his pottery in this solo exhibition.
Nikaido is a serious ceramic artist who works diligently.
He engages in solo exhibitions nearly 10 times a year and daringly challenges to show his works abroad. Without looking away from the problems of society, he touches clay and throws on the potter’s wheel on a daily basis, as one means of sweeping away fear. He is conscious of his obligation to continue the history that began when the first humans touched clay.
Nikaido is an artist as well.
He asks himself, “Can UTSUWA can become art?” (The Japanese word UTSUWA means not only container or dish, but also evokes the generosity or talent of a person or object)
The answer he arrived at is that “UTSUWA can be the threshold.”
The threshold that fulfills both the interior and the exterior will bring about all possibilities to each person. Nikaido believes that the vessel is a device that creates these thresholds in the lives of people.
Nikaido respects history and culture and creates tea bowls.
If asked whether he makes tea, he replies, “That is not my work.” That's right.
His work is to make tea bowls.
In a tea ceremony, one will witness a person making tea, a person arranging flowers, a person painting a scroll, and the change of seasons and effects of weather. When all elements are combined, the performance is completed. He carries a part of this ritual, and he sometimes enjoys it, too. He embodies a deep admiration of tea culture.
In 2009, Nikaido began a project called “TO-ISM,” gathering together young potters and holding exhibitions of their work in combination with his own ceramics. After the earthquake disaster, he engaged in activities to send UTSUWA to stricken areas, titled “USTUWA NO CHIKARA (power of UTSUWA)".
He is investigating the ability of UTSUWA to relate with both potters and society.
In Japan, the environment of the ceramic arts is complicated by the lengthy histories of tea culture, traditional crafts, folk arts (MINGEI), contemporary art, life industrial arts (SEIKATSU KOUGEI), and daily dishes. In such a situation, he searches for a way for the potter and ceramist to be independent.
As stated above, Nikaido has many faces.
But the basis of his works is consistent — that they originate from “the belief in the power of the clay (earth).”
From the ground he stands on, he touches the clay with his hands and creates things will then remain in our hands. He entrusts the clay and flame with his impression and consciousness.
All the works and activities are his expression.
He makes “UTSUWA” that are functional, but contemplates, if his UTSUWA can become a chance to change our lifestyles and lives, then his works are the art.
- Nana Yamasaki
二階堂明弘
１９７７年、北海道に生まれる。
専門学校で作陶を習い、２００１年栃木真岡で独立、翌年益子に移転。
２０１１年３月の震災で工房が大打撃を受ける。
２０１５年、千葉に移住。
二階堂にはいくつかの顔がある。それはあたかも、今回の個展で見られる陶肌のようだ。
二階堂は、真面目な、よく働く陶芸家だ。
年に１０回近くの個展を毎年行い、海外にも中国、台湾、フランス、アメリカと果敢にチャレンジする。
問題から目を背けずに、恐怖心を払拭し、表に立つ一方で、普段は里山で、毎日土を触り、ろくろを挽く。
古代、人が土を触った時から現在にまで続く、その土の歴史を次に繋げる役目を意識している。
二階堂は、アーティストでもある。つねに「うつわはアートになりうるか」を自問し、
「うつわとは『境界線』である」という答えを導きだす。
内側を満たしたり、外側を満たしたり、ひとそれぞれにあらゆる可能性をもたらす「境界線」。
「うつわは人々の生活に境界線を作る装置である」と言う。
二階堂はまた歴史や文化を敬い、茶陶も作る。
彼自身に、お茶を点てるのか？と尋ねると、それは自分の仕事じゃないと言う。その通りだ。
彼は茶碗を作り、お茶を点てる人がいて、花を生ける人、軸を描く人、選ぶ人がいる、季節も移ろい、天気も変わる。
全ての要素が相まって、茶室という空間、そのパフォーマンスは完成する。
その一部を彼は担う。そして、彼も時にそれを楽しむ。茶文化への憧憬は深い。
二階堂は個人の製作のみならず、２００９年より「陶ISM」という若手陶芸家を集めて企画展を開催したり、震災後は
「ウツワノチカラ」と題し、被災地にうつわを届ける活動も起こした。
そういった、陶芸家と社会という関わりの中での陶磁器の力を試すこともしている。
茶陶、伝統工芸、民芸、コンテンポラリー、生活工芸と、陶磁器の歴史の長さゆえに複雑化する日本陶芸の世界において、
インデペンデントな陶芸家のあり方も模索していると言えよう。
山崎ナナ
