Various / Porcelain / Hokkaido / Ono Kotaro
Sound of Water by Ono Kotaro and Other Works
Nice to have some new works by Hokkaido's Ono Kotaro (b.1953), winner of the 4th Mashiko Ceramics Competition Hamada Shoji Prize. Ono creates sleek, sharp porcelain wares. Yet, what is unique about this artist is that his porcelain has two sides to its character: at first glance, his wares look crisp and cool, like fallen snowdrops. Yet at the same time, he has instilled in his works a delicate, warm glow that is not often found in porcelain wares. Ono uses shinogi, or incisions, that give his pieces a wave-like rhythm that is uncommon in "static" porcelain, thus his 'Sound of Water' series. He has a keen sense of balance and design, and retains porcelain's elegance while simultaneously being innovative in his "soft yet sharp warmth." We selected a Ono (pronounced Oh-no) and they quickly injected a fresh, cool breath of air into our humid Kyoto gallery. A mention should be made that an Ono Seihakuji mizusashi (fresh water jar) was acquired by the famous Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation (one of the best Japanese Art collections overseas--please see the current issue of IMPRESSIONS magazine), and what's more, that piece was exhibited at the Metropolitan Musuem's Japan wing some years back. Keeping cool in Kyoto with Ono's 'Sound of Water' with the smallest being 4cm.tallx23 and On Reserve, medium is 7cm.tallx 16 and is On Reserve, the largest--and very difficult to fire--is 7cm.tallx 27 and is 170,000 yen. The three 'traveler's chawan' are 25,000 yen for Constellation, 32,000 yen for Lotus and 35,000 yen for Shinogi-Lined; his guinomi are 25,000 yen and the set of five white-glazed crackled sencha cups are On Reserve; some with signed wooden boxes, others with a signed cardboard washi box.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
