Yomitan Village Kitakama Kyouji Matsuda coming soon
In ceramics, the clay is fundamental.
The characteristics of the local soil and its technique make the mixture important.
The clay of Okinawa is soft, not very elastic or tough, and it takes a great deal of skill to produce a perfectly flat plate. Throwing the platter, as in any kettle, is no easy task and Matsuda throws and pulls the rim slightly outwards and then throws it again, repeating this process until it is 2.5 shaku wide, calculating a 10-15% shrinkage. If the clay dries too quickly, it will crack. He uses an abstract "tapping" technique, where the glaze is soaked and then tapped against the platter. The spaces between the colours created by Matsuda's unique technique make the work stand out. Matsuda's constant training and spiritual discipline are reflected in his work.
Not only does Matsuda produce Okinawan tableware, but he is also one of the last potters to use the rare clay that is available, and he plans to exhibit his work at Shuri Castle, which is undergoing reconstruction.
"I have been demonstrating against the presence of the US military base in Okinawa for decades, but nothing has changed. There are people in this world who fight wars for profit. I don't want to be involved in that. As a matter of fact, my hometown was subjected to flesh-and-blood warfare and aerial bombing by the US military. From what I heard, after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Okinawa was the next target. The US military planned to turn the whole of Okinawa into a US military base. But when they saw the beauty of Shuri Castle, they were so impressed that they cancelled the plan. I believe that culture has the power to move people. And that is the way for Okinawa to survive.
He added. Mr Matsuda believes that "when clay is fired and used by people, it becomes a vessel for communication" and continues to work with clay today.
Kyoji Matsuda
1954 Born in Yomitan Village, Okinawa
1974 Worked at Shuri Ishimine Pottery in Naha City (Mr. Jisei Omine)
1980 Worked at Omine Studio, Yomitan Pottery Community Kettle
1990 Moved to Zakimi, Yomitan Village with Miyagi Masataka, Koshinahara Masamori and Matsuda Yoneji
Opened Yomitan-yaki "Kitagama" in Zakimi, Yomitan Village
Built a 13-tiered cauldron and established Kyoshi Studio
1995 Awarded the Japan Mingei Kyokai Prize
2001 Awarded the 75th National Exhibition Prize and the National Drawing Prize, and has exhibited at the National Exhibition every year since.
2002 Exhibited at the Exhibition of New Artists of Japanese Mingei Pottery in Los Angeles
2006 The 58th Oki Exhibition, Second Prize, Oki Exhibition Prize, Oki Exhibition every year since then
2007 Nominated as an associate member of Oki Exhibition
2008 Nominated as an associate member of Kokuten
2011 Awarded Kurashiki Mingei Kan Prize for "Kitagama" Yomitan Pottery
2013 Awarded the 63rd Oki Exhibition Associate Member Prize and nominated as an Oki Exhibition Member
2014 Solo exhibition at HICKOREE'S Gallery, New York
2015 Nominated as a member of Kokuten
2016 The 50th Okinawa Times Art Award, Grand Prize
2018 Solo exhibition at Yuntanza Museum, Zakimi Castle, World Cultural Heritage
2019 Involved in the Ryukyu Kingdom Cultural Heritage Accumulation and Reconstruction Business "Handwork
2020 Opening of CLAY Coffee & Gallery
The characteristics of the local soil and its technique make the mixture important.
The clay of Okinawa is soft, not very elastic or tough, and it takes a great deal of skill to produce a perfectly flat plate. Throwing the platter, as in any kettle, is no easy task and Matsuda throws and pulls the rim slightly outwards and then throws it again, repeating this process until it is 2.5 shaku wide, calculating a 10-15% shrinkage. If the clay dries too quickly, it will crack. He uses an abstract "tapping" technique, where the glaze is soaked and then tapped against the platter. The spaces between the colours created by Matsuda's unique technique make the work stand out. Matsuda's constant training and spiritual discipline are reflected in his work.
Not only does Matsuda produce Okinawan tableware, but he is also one of the last potters to use the rare clay that is available, and he plans to exhibit his work at Shuri Castle, which is undergoing reconstruction.
"I have been demonstrating against the presence of the US military base in Okinawa for decades, but nothing has changed. There are people in this world who fight wars for profit. I don't want to be involved in that. As a matter of fact, my hometown was subjected to flesh-and-blood warfare and aerial bombing by the US military. From what I heard, after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Okinawa was the next target. The US military planned to turn the whole of Okinawa into a US military base. But when they saw the beauty of Shuri Castle, they were so impressed that they cancelled the plan. I believe that culture has the power to move people. And that is the way for Okinawa to survive.
He added. Mr Matsuda believes that "when clay is fired and used by people, it becomes a vessel for communication" and continues to work with clay today.
Kyoji Matsuda
1954 Born in Yomitan Village, Okinawa
1974 Worked at Shuri Ishimine Pottery in Naha City (Mr. Jisei Omine)
1980 Worked at Omine Studio, Yomitan Pottery Community Kettle
1990 Moved to Zakimi, Yomitan Village with Miyagi Masataka, Koshinahara Masamori and Matsuda Yoneji
Opened Yomitan-yaki "Kitagama" in Zakimi, Yomitan Village
Built a 13-tiered cauldron and established Kyoshi Studio
1995 Awarded the Japan Mingei Kyokai Prize
2001 Awarded the 75th National Exhibition Prize and the National Drawing Prize, and has exhibited at the National Exhibition every year since.
2002 Exhibited at the Exhibition of New Artists of Japanese Mingei Pottery in Los Angeles
2006 The 58th Oki Exhibition, Second Prize, Oki Exhibition Prize, Oki Exhibition every year since then
2007 Nominated as an associate member of Oki Exhibition
2008 Nominated as an associate member of Kokuten
2011 Awarded Kurashiki Mingei Kan Prize for "Kitagama" Yomitan Pottery
2013 Awarded the 63rd Oki Exhibition Associate Member Prize and nominated as an Oki Exhibition Member
2014 Solo exhibition at HICKOREE'S Gallery, New York
2015 Nominated as a member of Kokuten
2016 The 50th Okinawa Times Art Award, Grand Prize
2018 Solo exhibition at Yuntanza Museum, Zakimi Castle, World Cultural Heritage
2019 Involved in the Ryukyu Kingdom Cultural Heritage Accumulation and Reconstruction Business "Handwork
2020 Opening of CLAY Coffee & Gallery