Ceramic art in the Gekokujo period - a counterpoint to contemporary society

A concept that goes against wabi-sabi

--When I saw your works, I was shocked. I found your works very flamboyant. The colours are bright, with gold and silver, and the shapes are prominent. I felt that they were the opposite of the usual ceramic artworks.

Koga: That's true. When ceramics are mentioned, we immediately think of the tea ceremony. Wabi-sabi is always associated with Sen no Rikyu, the ceramic school that advocates sobriety.

-As you say, ceramics has a rather austere image.

Koga: I am interested in the world of the tea ceremony, and I have great respect for traditional wabi-sabi works. If you trace its history, you always come to Sen no Rikyu. At that time, karamono (tea bowls from China reserved for tea ceremonies, translator's note), colourful and luxurious, were very appreciated and these true works of art were associated with power. In this context, Rikyu dared to use black tea bowls made in Japan, declaring, "This is the beauty of Japan." It was like a pied-de-nez to the established order.

-That's for sure. But why did Rikyu choose the colour black?

Koga: The idea of the black bowl was to put the ritual of the ceremony back in the foreground. Rikyu wanted the container to disappear in favour of the precision of the gesture. The uncluttered room with its subdued light helped to create a favourable environment. The colour black was therefore the logical consequence of a master's initiative. This aesthetic has been passed down for over 400 years, and I feel that wabi-sabi is engraved in the DNA of the Japanese people. I think that such values cannot be created anymore. This is why I had the idea of going against the grain of wabi-sabi, which I also deeply respect.

-What is this "anti-wabi-sabi", in more concrete terms?

Koga: It's the disorder that emerges from the object. Just as Rikyu did, I would like to give my works an appearance, a feeling and a taste experience that transforms the senses through it. Nevertheless, my aesthetic philosophy is contrary to that of wabi-sabi. I wish to create from the traditions and techniques that have been passed down through the ages, while incorporating my own sensibility from contemporary life.

-How did you come to use nails?

Koga: When I saw a vase considered a masterpiece in a museum abroad, I strongly felt the power inherent in objects. I began to wonder if I could express this power. While experimenting with various forms and techniques, I discovered nails. I found them to be an interesting form of the smallest scale of forces. In my opinion, they have the power to act on sight, touch and taste. Therefore I consider nails as a material that affects the body and mind rather than just a decorative accessory.

-- Historically, nails are also a symbol of a rebellious spirit, as in British punk.

Koga: The theme of this exhibition was "people who stand out". I thought that nails could represent going beyond and I developed this idea by embodying in my work personalities who push their limits and break out of the norms of the world by throwing away the conventions of the past. In this respect, there are certain similarities with the idea of "Gekokujo", according to which the balance of power between the dominant and the dominated can be reversed. This thought was widespread during the ongoing military conflicts of the Sengoku period (1450-1600, translator's note).

--I see. What kind of works are presented in this exhibition?

Koga: I wanted to honour personalities that inspire me so I created objects and sake cups that I thought embodied them well. For example, I made a piece that symbolises the great determination of footballer Keisuke Honda. In Japanese, there is an expression that illustrates a strong heart with a hairy heart. The nails, so to speak, represent the hairs that grow on the heart.

-So your nails are a metaphor.

Koga: It was a new challenge for me to include an unusual form in such an ancient craft. Signifying the overcoming of oneself through a representation of a nail also brought a new wind to the world of pottery. It should not be forgotten that ceramics are the result of a meeting between man and earth. Depending on the texture and natural properties of the clay, the potter decides on the shape and colour of the final piece. With coarse clay, he will tend to make rough cups and depending on its resistance to temperature, he will choose an appropriate glaze and, therefore, a specific colour. However, the basic material of porcelain, unlike ceramics, goes through a human process from the outset as it is a mixture of various broken stones. In my opinion, this is the main difference between ceramic and porcelain. 

-How does this difference manifest itself in your work?

Koga: The artificiality of the basic material of porcelain allows me to be as creative as I like. Since man has already intervened in a previous process, I feel allowed to take my liberties. If I worked with clay, I might have a more respectful attitude towards the raw material.

--I see. Do you have any goals when you make porcelain?

Koga: Japanese porcelain is four hundred years old, with Arita being the most prestigious. It has gradually developed outside its native land until it is industrialised today. The techniques and traditions have been passed on from generation to generation by successive masters. Training in the discipline is certainly essential, but what to do next? As the discovery of pottery dating from the Jomon period attests, the works can survive us for centuries. So the question of imprinting arose for me. If I create objects that can survive in the distant future, I would like to leave a trace that describes our present. I would like to use the techniques of our ancestors and crystallize our time through the white jewel that is porcelain. I wish to arouse an emotion in the people of the future.

--I see a certain romanticism in your artistic approach.

Koga: I mentioned the distant future, but to tell the truth, I mainly want my work to be seen today, of course. In our time, everything is moving very fast. Great personalities, technological progress and new objects appear in just a few years. This is why I believe that art finds its meaning in the precise moment and place of its creation. Otherwise, its interpretation would be affected. From this point of view, my works are part of a raw actuality.  

--Previously, you mentioned wabi sabi and gekokujo. Seeing your pieces, I feel an influence from the Sengoku period to that of Azuchi Momoyama (1573-1603, a period of unification of Japan, notably marked by a profusion of popular arts, translator's note). What do you think about it? 

Koga: You are right. I like very much this period contemporary to Rikyu where a culture going to its opposite developed, especially with the Kabuki-mono (group of ronin, fallen samurai, who wore exuberant outfits with provocative manners and language, translator's note). This period saw two contradictory trends, with the concepts of the silence of Rikyu and the dynamism of the "Kabuku" culture that I just mentioned. I like this duality very much. 

-What does kabuku mean to you?

Koga: Do you know that there are many very original samurai helmets? They are called kawari kabuto, and their motifs are octopuses, scolopendres, crescent moons or Chinese characters such as the one for love. Heavy and cumbersome, one might question their practicality on the head of a knight going into battle. However, I think that the samurai were expressing their fervour here, and somehow the madness in which they found themselves. There is a real aesthetic of battle through which Japanese warriors allowed themselves a personal elegance. These objects stimulated my creativity a lot, so I created "Sake cup in half mask".  

--What do you remember about the ideological and cultural aspects of kabuku?

Koga: The containers have evolved. We went from the tea bowl to the kaiseki dishes, and then the sake cup complemented the carafe. This transition took place in the Sengoku period. The socio-cultural context was very important to me, and I think you can see it in my creations.

--What do you want to use your sake cups for?

Koga: Since ancient times, banquets have been an integral part of ceremonies and political events. At bureiko, the unofficial banquets, guests met in a masquerade where status and social hierarchy were put aside, where only personality was tested. The atmosphere was more relaxed, more festive, in short, an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other without the prestige of rank. I would like my sake cups to participate in moments of conviviality, and for their originality to make people react by offering pleasant moments of exchange.

--Your works are inspired by the masks of the Japanese warlords and you spoke of the Gekokujo thought. To what extent does this ideology accompany your creations?

Koga: At that time, the warlords fought for hegemony. Today, there is no war in Japan, but with the development of social networks, every individual has a voice and I feel that everyone is able to influence the course of the world. In other words, we live in an era where power is at hand, as in the Gekokujo ideology. In this sense, there are similarities with the Sengoku period. Despite this reality, I sometimes have the impression that society obeys standards. That is why I want to create works that are both unique and powerful. By creating "Cheeked Armour Cup", which is inspired by the helmet, not only in its appearance but also in its message, I wanted to give shape to the concept of ambition. I would be honoured if people who are determined to excel and have a voice appreciate my work.　

<B-OWND> Photo by Yo Ishigami

Profile : Takahiro Koga
Born in 1987 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Koga graduated from the Fine Arts and Crafts Course at the Faculty of Culture and Education at Saga University in 2010, and has been making ceramics in Nagashima-cho, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2011.