Artist Profile

森本仁

Japan｜Ceramic

岡山県備前市に生まれる。備前焼作家である父の元に育ち、東京造形大学にて彫刻を学ぶ。卒業後は豊場惺也（とよば・せいや）氏に師事し、伝統的な美濃焼を学ぶ。2003年より故郷・岡山県備前市にて作陶を開始。豊かな自然に囲まれた工房では1年～1年半に一度のペースで登り窯を焚き、窯変の美しい備前焼を制作する傍ら、同じ備前土を灯油窯で白く焼成する独自の「白花（しらはな）」シリーズを制作する。日々の暮らしに山野の花を生け、茶を嗜む丁寧な暮らしぶりには彼の生きる姿勢が現れ、その美意識は作品の端々に感じとれる。リラックスしたリズムを持つモダンな造形と、土の力強さ、手取りの良いサイズやさらりとした焼き締めの質感に、本質を模索しながらも肩肘張らない、現代的な備前焼の魅力が溢れている。

Artist Profile

Hitoshi Morimoto

Okayama, Japan｜Ceramic

Born in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture. One of the six sites where ceramic ware production first began in Japan. Raised by his Bizen ware artist father, Morimoto went on to study sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University. After graduate, he studied Mino pottery under Seiya Toyoba. In 2003, he returned to his hometown of Bizen and started work.

In his studio, nestled in the countryside, Morimoto fires up the semi-underground climbing kiln that was built by his father, Eisuke Morimoto, to produce Bizen pottery with stunningly beautiful red color variations. At the same time, he is also producing his own original "Shirahana” series of white-fired ceramics using the same Bizen clay in kerosene kilns. Morimoto's attitude towards life can be seen in the thoughtful way he lives, each morning arranging wild flowerrs and practices sado. When you use one of his creations, you can feel his sense of beauty in every detail. The relaxed, modern shape, the strength of the Bizen-soil, the practical sizing, and smooth texture of the unglazed stoneware—while you can fine the essence of classic Bizen ware in these elements, Morimoto's pieces defy formal categorization and are full of the charm of a more contemporary style of Bizen pottery.