The charm of Riichi Sasaki is by far the fact that he is not bound by existing limits. For example, one of his recent challenges was to cover porcelain clay over ceramic clay. The result is a white layer left on the surface like an eggshell which creates a unique effect. By adding patterns to it, it looks like it was naturally weathered.
”The act of nature is also charming, but I think it’s also important to leave some traces of intention. The placement of an obscure story, like a pattern or something artificial also can highlight a work.” said Sakaki.
Sakaki is an artist who won the Salon de Printemps award which is given by the society of professors to graduation projects at the Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts. He’s also won many other awards in his pottery career. In addition, he now teaches at the Tohoku University of Art and Design, founded in 1991.
Search, rather than be taught
What he teaches the students is to “search”. “I want them to absorb many things and grow. I teach at the university hoping that the students learn the basics, and use that to expand their field of vision. “
His creations reflect what he preaches to his students. For example the kiln. He experiments to try to learn the true essence of fire and the flow of flames, by making a kiln then destroying it, over and over. Sometimes he builds kilns with students.
It’s been 30 years since Sasaki went into this profession. So, sometimes people around him have told him to “be responsible”. However Sasaki told us “Past accomplishments may be necessary, but what’s actually more important is what you think and what you tried. I personally think it’s more interesting to think and accumulate, than receive social recognition. In spite of being awarded many times and being in a position to teach, he is still an artist whose keyword is “searching”.
Something that is born out of risk
”Monozukuri” is all about starting with a desire ”I want to express this way” or ”I want to make this”, and putting that into the work. You start there and keep working on it until you are able to make it happen. It is more like setting a goal and working towards it. However, Sasaki puts it a little differently. “Sometimes your goal can change. That’s ok too. It’s not just like you’re satisfied just by achieving your goal. Sometimes it’s good to have something betray you along the way. To me, that’s pottery.”
Like he says Sasaki’s works betray our expectations sometimes. But that itself becomes its charm.
“You have to take some risks in pottery. But the fun is when you go beyond that risk. Discovery exists side by side with recklessness.” he told us. What kind of risk will he overcome next? And what kind of discovery he will show us?
