Kyushu is home to many unique pottery villages, but in recent years, there has been an increase in artists who are not tied to a specific location and are creating their own unique works in the places of their choice. One of these artists is Kitaoka Koji of Kita Pottery Studio, who creates expressive vessels that make use of the individuality of the clay within a simple form.
To become someone
Kita Pottery Studio is located at the western foot of Mount Abura, 597 meters above sea level, in the southwest of Fukuoka City. Kitaoka’s father, Hideo, used to make pottery here, but since Hideo established a new studio in Saga, Koji has now taken over the studio. The gallery on the premises displays the works of both artists, and Kitaoka’s works in particular are on display, from his early works to his latest works, allowing visitors to see the trajectory of his style.
Kitaoka says that he had been working with clay alongside his father since he was a child. However, he doesn’t remember being encouraged to pursue pottery, so after graduating from university, he went to the UK to study the language. He also worked in restaurants. However, when he returned to Japan two years later, he decided to pursue pottery. “Many of the people I met and those around me in London were professionals or people who were trying to become professionals. So when I thought about what I could do, I decided that I wanted to work in a job where I could make things.”
He enrolled at Arita Ceramics College, which he was encouraged by his father to teach all about pottery, and was attracted by the curriculum that allowed him to delve deeper into it. After graduating, he went to Seto City, Aichi Prefecture, the center of pottery, to broaden his horizons, and then to Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, to study under a senior potter. There, he also experienced cultural differences, such as the direction in which the potter’s wheel turns and the direction in which the clay is kneaded, depending on the region. At the same time, an increasing number of artists in Seto and Tajimi were creating new things using electric kilns, and Kitaoka was inspired by this and decided to go independent in his hometown of Fukuoka, thinking, “I’ll try to do something in that direction too.” He was 31 years old.
Days spent searching for a new style
From the beginning, Kitaoka’s pottery has been consistently “pottery with a purpose.” “Plates and vessels that can be used daily, things that are close to modern consumers. If I had one more wish, I would have wanted to make something that transcends cultural background.” When he first became independent, he thought about “what is a universally good pottery” every day, and as a result, he came up with the hypothesis that “in order to create something simple, you need to try various things.” In order to deepen his understanding of techniques and materials, he makes pottery while testing various clays and materials, including the clay from Arita and Karatsu, which are also representative production areas in Kyushu. During the process, he adds his own interpretation and continues to output. In this way, he has perfected the simplicity of the Kitaoka style.
What you aim for and what exceeds your expectations
When he first went independent, he mainly produced “white pottery” based on a transparent glaze with additives and metal oxides added. However, Kitaoka felt that he wanted to add a stronger expression to his works.
Also, while thinking about how to make interesting things in an electric kiln, he noticed that using strongly colored clay containing iron produced a unique reaction. After much trial and error, he was able to fire his works in an electric kiln with consistent quality. However, as he continued to steadily produce works that were strictly chemically controlled, he began to think about making pottery that was created with a completely different way of thinking, an opposing idea. So, one day, he saved the ash from the stove and mixed it with feldspar to make an ash glaze, and an unexpected result appeared.
“It creates a nice shadow. And it’s not something that you can see at a glance, but a shadow that you notice while using it. It’s fun to make it.” He made countless failures in the trial and error process. Still, he was very happy when he created an unexpected good work.
When the world entered the COVID-19 era and all events came to a halt, Kitaoka saw this as an opportunity to start working on ash glazes from scratch. He explored techniques from every angle, such as what would happen if the same feldspar was used from a different manufacturer, and what changes would occur depending on the firing method, and gradually he began to create expressive works.
The world that spread from the craft fair
Kitaoka has actively made use of craft fairs to present his works. His first exhibit as an artist was the Arita Porcelain Fair. It was held in the garden of a house one street back from the main street, a space that was provided at low rent to graduates of the College of Ceramics.
“By participating, I was able to learn about how the event worked and it sparked my interest in other fairs, so I started attending them all. Nowadays there are limited opportunities to participate, but it’s stimulating to meet makers and customers from far away that I wouldn’t normally be able to meet. I’d like to participate if the timing is right.”
Where individuality comes from
By exhibiting at events, he had more opportunities to get his name known, and he also gained more connections with galleries and shops. Platforms such as Instagram are also encouraging tools that continue to promote his work both domestically and internationally. “I’m not that proactive in posting, and I only post announcements about exhibitions, but I’m grateful that many people, sometimes even overseas, see my posts and the works in them and become interested in them. In that respect, I feel that we who are active today are more fortunate than the creators of my father’s generation,” says Kitaoka. When asked if the possibility of copying his work increases as it is shared around the world, he laughed and said, “It’s okay because it’s so ordinary that it can’t be imitated.” “As for the shape, I don’t really do anything special. I believe that high-quality works are created by combining shape, molding, and firing, and I think that’s the case for many other creators, but all of these processes involve my own trial and error, ingenuity, and small accumulations, and I believe that when you combine these, you can make pottery that is “similar” but not “the same.” The same goes for individuality. Individuality = humanity. Even if you try to erase it, your habits will come out. Just like fingerprints and handwriting can be identified, individuality is something that seeps out from the person themselves.
What we aim for beyond trial and error
Kitaoka is steadily building his career as a ceramic artist, currently receiving orders from the US and Europe, and a request for a solo exhibition from a gallery in Shanghai. When asked about the challenges he faces, he answered “productivity.” However, for Kitaoka, who would like to do the glazing and molding himself if possible, it is an eternal dilemma.
But his spirit of challenge remains undiminished. The more he advances in his career, the stronger his desire to broaden his horizons and create better things becomes. “I’ve tried and failed a lot so far, but I still feel like it’s not enough. I feel down when I fail, but Keith Richards also said, ‘Sometimes you have to be bold to get results.’ He also discovered a new world when he changed his playing style, so I want to keep trying and going out to find new worlds.
The destination is always right in front of you
Kitaoka’s modest dream now is to hold a solo exhibition in London, where he used to live. Of course, it’s a solo exhibition that he will be present in the gallery himself. When he first decided to become a potter, he thought, “I want to travel to many places while creating my works.” However, pottery is a time-consuming and labor-intensive job. “Even if I want to travel, even the shortest travel time makes me think about the next kiln and the work process. I feel more comfortable at home now.” However, even without physically traveling, as he works with the clay every day and goes through the process of production and firing, he notices things he hadn’t noticed before, discovers things that make him think, “That’s what it means,” and experiences the sensation of “seeing” things that he hadn’t seen before. “The best part of traveling is seeing and feeling. Right now, I feel like I’m experiencing new sensations as I shift my perspective during the process of making pottery.”
He’s still on his journey. What kind of scenery awaits him amid the soil, ash, air, and temperature. I would like to continue to watch the birth of new vessels that, despite their simple appearance, contain hidden hints that inspire all sorts of imaginations.
