Wada Morihiro 和太守卑良 1944-2008

Pictured above is a vessel "Kei-Sen-Mon-Ki 繋千文器", made in circa 1992. This technique, which Wada has named "Sen Mon Ki" has poetic undertones. In the excerpt below, Wada describes why he has chosen the character "千" which represents one thousand. The geometric patterns skillfully mixes sharp and rounded linework in this composition creates a symphonic flourish of color to the viewer. Click to read more.

We've been translating Wada Morihiro's excerpts and writings about his artistic process and techniques. Today, we are delighted to share his notes on his beautiful San-Mon series. Read more. here. The "San-Mon" series of works seems to have found a direction of expression using the clay as a material. My initial intention was to cover the entire form of the vessel with detailed patterns, so that the patterns themselves would become the material. It is the accumulation of marks caused by individual habits, and the process of turning these actions into material is the work of making things. The idea that the pattern is a tool for cutting out the form was born at this time. The San-Mon pattern began as a detailed sketch of a cedar tree, but it eventually transformed itself in accordance with my own way of thinking, and became like my own writing style. The pieces that started out as San-Mon-Ki 杉文器 came to be called San-Mon-Sekki 杉文炻器 , and those whose appearance was altered by the addition of white or black clay were called Saido-San-Mon 彩土杉文. The word "Saido" 彩土 was coined from the Japanese word "Saido,"再度 which means "Once again," and I am amused to see the word "Saido" being used here and there afterwards. The Saido-San-Mon 彩土杉文 pattern was tried in a variety of forms, including round, wavy, and angular, but eventually, by defining the directionality of the pattern, the form came to show two symmetrical angles. One is called Ryu-San-Mon 流彡文 a flowing pattern with undulating curved surfaces and somewhat animal-like shapes, and the other is called Hatsu-San-Mon 発彡文 a sharply angled pattern with a linear divergent direction. At that point, the character for San 杉 was changed to "彡. I tend to prefer to use letters that describe abstract states in the names of my works rather than letters that describe specific things. This is because I don't want the viewer to be caught up in the specificity of the letter. The character "彡" has the meaning of an element that is the source of various representations, and I am happy to have discovered this very simple character, which I like.

Preview the art historian & curator Daniel McOwan's essay on our Autumn 2022 exhibition catalog. "Tsubo: The Art of Contemporary Craft" gives an overview of the history of the jar category in Modern Japanese ceramics, while also exploring significant potters, artists, and figures who have propelled this formal category in the 20th and 21st centuries. Read the full essay on our Autumn 2022 catalogue online!

I think that among many professions and callings, the artist is a noble one. Throughout their live, these visionaries create arts to inspire, delight, and connect; when they are gone, their art and artistic legacy continue to teach, provoke and strengthen our bonds with each other. Wada Morihiro was a star that fell too soon. In 2009, a year after Wada left us, Dai Ichi Arts presented the exhibition Celebration of a Life, seen in the attached brochure with several of Wada's works that were exhibited for sale. Wada's ceramics still intrigue us over a decade after his passing, and we grow to understand him more.