Shōji Hamada

Hamada at the University of Michigan, 1967 or 1968
Thrown, Combed tea bowl by Shoji Hamada

Shōji Hamada (濱田 庄司, Hamada Shōji, December 9, 1894 – January 5, 1978) was a Japanese potter. He was a significant influence on studio pottery of the twentieth century, and a major figure of the mingei folk-art movement, establishing the town of Mashiko as a world-renowned pottery centre.

Biography

Hamada was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1894.

He studied ceramics at Tokyo Institute of Technology with Kawai Kanjirō under Itaya Hazan. As the sole students in the school interested in becoming artist-potters, Hamada and the slightly elder Kawai were soon friends, touring the city in search of inspiration.[1][2] Hamada was deeply impressed by a Tokyo exhibition of ceramic art by Bernard Leach, who was then staying with Yanagi Sōetsu, and wrote to Leach seeking an introduction.[1] The two found much in common and became good friends, so much so that Hamada accompanied Leach to England in 1920 when the latter decided to return and establish a pottery there. Having spent three years in St Ives with Bernard Leach, he returned to Japan in 1923 and eventually established his workshop in Mashiko, about 100 km north-east of Tokyo. Here, he built his own pottery and committed himself to using only locally sourced materials, not only in the clay he used, but also the glazes he created and the brushes he manufactured himself from dog hair and bamboo.[3]

In 1955 the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology designated him a "Living National Treasure".

Hamada Shoji was very supportive of young artists who moved to Mashiko such as his student Shimaoka Tatsuzō, and Kamoda Shōji, and was also important in establishing Mashiko as a destination for day tourism.

Hamada died in Mashiko on January 5, 1978.

Influence

Shōji Hamada Memorial Mashiko Sankokan Museum

Throughout a lifetime dedicated to making pottery he achieved international recognition and his works have been collected by museums across the world. Hamada influence was felt not only in his native Japan, particularly in Mashiko, but also in the West. In the United Kingdom and the US his style and philosophy became well known amongst studio potters, and he was revered as the archetypal "Oriental" potter. In 1955 he was designated a "Living National Treasure".

A square plate with iron pigment brushwork by Shōji Hamada

Today Hamada's works attain high prices at auction. In the UK, examples of his work can be seen at the York Art Gallery.

Books

Video

Film

Slide

a. Bottle 1963. Slab-built, salt glaze.-b. Bottle. 1963. Slab, "Kaki" ash glaze.-c. Bottle, 1963. Tall slab-built, "Kaki".-d. Vase.1963. "Kaki" glaze, wax resist. e. Pot. 1963. Flattened, iron brushwork. f. Bottle. 1963. Tall rectangular wax resist. g. Pot. 1963. Flattened, block glaze trail. h. Bottle. 1963. Curved slab, wax resist. i. Bottle. 1963. Thrown square brushwork, salt glaze. j. Bottle. 1963. Slab, panelled decoration. k. Bottle. 1963. Rectangular, finger sgraffito. Pot. Held in The University of Melbourne. The University Library.

For more information on the holdings contact your public library in Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 Leach, 1990:93
  2. ↑ http://www.eocene-arts.com/ceramics/kawai.html
  3. ↑ Riddick, Sarah (1990). Pioneer Studdio Pottery: The Milner-White Collection. Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0853315906.


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