ICHIYOU GAMA, The Kimura Family. BIZEN YAKI .
February 2, 2009
BIZEN POTTERY-ROKU-SEI (Six Families)
Ichiyou Gama kiln, burning chimney smoke.
Bizen Yaki was first introduced to me by my friends Eda Ryuske and Tanushi
Tomoki. I met Hajime Kimura in 2002 as they thought that the colors and
textures of Bizen pottery were similar to some rustic colors of my paintings.
Bizen ware is a type of Japanese pottery most identifiable by its ironlike hardness,
reddish brown color, absence of glaze, and markings resulting from wood-burning kiln firing.
During the Edo Period, six families were chosen and supported by the Ikeda Clan
of Bizen. The Kimura Family is one of those families. Ichiyou Kimura is the second
son of Choujurou Yukei Kimura, 13th generation ceramist in the Kimura Tradition.
The six families are the Mori, Kaneshige, Kimura, Ohan, Hayami, and Terami --
it is interesting to note that the first three are still potting families.
The kiln currently being used by Ichiyou and the Kimura Family was built in 1947.
When presented to Hajime Kimura we became instant friends. Hajime is an original
artist of Bizen as he has become a young master of the Bizen ceramics for many years
now. He loves contemporary art as much as ancient traditions like observing Buddhist
temples. He spends his time listening to Jazz music or Classical while also secretly
practicing being an amazing chef of Italian cuisine. Next, Hajime wants to learn to cook French food.
Hajime and I have been working together on new Bizen Yaki experiments since 2002.
Entrance to the Kimura Family gallery.
Ichiyou Kimura
Bizen tools used for shaping, cutting and carving.
Hajime Kimura.
Parlá engraving on raw Bizen clay, 2002 © all rights reserved 2009.
Ichiyou Gama kiln, built 1947.
Bizen Palimpsest, 2005 © all rights reserved, José Parlá 2009.
high grade of raw clay before it is processed to be molded.
mixed with water and drained of rocks, the earth becomes usable clay over a period
of months.
Hajime shows us the pine wood used to fire the kiln for two weeks duing the burning
of the pottery.
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conserved 800 year old kiln
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February 2, 2009 , 1:11 PM
