Kasama Potters launch new online store and London showcase
The Kasama Potters project is thrilled to launch a new online store, marking the first time that a considerable selection of Kasama ware will be obtainable in one place via the web. With works by thirty-two accomplished Japanese potters from the city of Kasama, this is an exciting opportunity for pottery enthusiasts to purchase a collectable piece from one of Japan’s most diverse pottery regions.
Pieces by Tatsushi Nemoto and Shungo Nemoto
A new showcase and pop-up shop at Islington Square
In addition to its new online store, the Kasama Potters project returns to Islington Square this autumn with a new showcase for London. Celebrating the 250-year history of Kasama ware, this remarkable showcase brings together works by the aforementioned thirty-two Kasama potters in one physical space. Visitors to Islington Square will have a rare opportunity to purchase limited-edition pieces by each Kasama potter in a pop-up shop. At the same time, visitors can discover the history of Kasama ware and the region’s myriad ceramic techniques, including the new Kasama Feldspar glaze technique that is unique to the region. Opened at Islington Square on the 17th September 2022 for London Design Festival, the Kasama Potters pop-up shop will run until 30th October 2022.
The Kasama way
Around sixty miles from Tokyo, the city of Kasama is home to a diverse community of established and budding potters. Kasama is an unusual pottery region in Japan: at 250-years-old, it is relatively young compared to other established pottery regions, and has no defined ceramic colour or technique. Potters have the freedom to experiment, making their pieces in a freestyle manner. To be a Kasama potter, artisans must use soil from Kasama. Thereafter, each potter will craft pieces that highlight their own artistic expression. Consequently, works by Kasama potters embrace a modern sensibility, applying a number of forms, techniques, and glaze motifs. Recognising this approach, in 2021 Kasama was awarded a Monocle magazine design award for ‘Best in Craft’.
Select showcase highlights
The Kasama Potters showcase at Islington Square is an expression of Kasama’s dynamic pottery region. Visitors to both the pop-up shop and online store will find many wonderful examples of Kasama ware. The following is a selection of the showcase’s various highlights.
Tatsushi Nemoto’s ‘Free Cup’ was made using the new Kasama Feldspar technique. A technical potter, Nemoto is an imaginative and skilful artisan who draws much inspiration from nature. The Free Cup has an especially organic, free and easy quality. Reiko Yura’s new bowls and ‘Irodori Bud Vases’ reflect her love of bold, irregular forms. Yura’s artistic background is evident in her use of colour and etching. Tetsuo Kobayashi’s ‘Japanese Pattern Blue Plates’ express this potter’s skill in representing traditional motifs that recur in Japan’s decorative arts. Shungo Nemoto’s 'Frost Glaze Cups’ give the illusion of small beads of frozen water on the exterior surface. The glaze method is a signature style of this potter.
A leading potter in Kasama, the delicate patterns on Mamoru Teramoto’s ‘Gosu Plate’ reflect years of skilful practice and Teramoto’s creative freedom of expression. Michitaka Fukuno is a potter whose mind is described as a ‘riot of colour.’ It is an apt description for his colourful ‘Rainbow cup’. Moreover, the cup showcases Fukuno’s skill in creating intricate forms. Akiko Ozutsumi is a much-loved figure of Kasama’s pottery scene, making wonderfully quirky everyday objects under the name Oz Factory. Ozutsumi’s ‘Goat Cup’ is an example of her playful form. Giran Sagawa’s ‘Earth Colour Cup’ demonstrates the young potter’s fascination with geometric slipware. Drawing inspiration from mid-century modern graffiti-style art and geometric patterns, Sagawa’s ‘Earth Colour Cup’ is quietly striking and contemporary in its presentation.
