Born in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, 1953
Lives and works in Hagi
Masanao Kaneta is an eighth-generation Hagi ceramist.
kurinuki – The Power of the Ridges, the Power of the Flame
Masanao Kaneta
In 1989 I named this technique kuri-nuki ["carving-out"], after the blocks of clay that are being shaped and carved out.
When the clay is strongly kneaded into a lump and vigorously worked, the surfaces fight with each other and form ridges full of vibrancy. These ridges, arising both inevitably and accidentally, are not mere lines, but rather constitute elements of form inviting the viewer to go further and connect with the realm outside the field of vision.
Traditional features of Hagi ceramics such as haikaburi (ash deposits), yôhen (kiln-changes), kairagi ("plum blossom skin") and gohon (gohon style) are important firing features of climbing kilns (nobori-gama) endowing vessels with their charm. The flame of the kiln is truly captivating and seduces us again and again with its magic; therefore, we must use reason to bring it to our side and tame it as a means of expression (power).
In so doing, the raw form created by the conflict of ridges merges with the power of the flame to become the perfect kurinuki vessel.