從很久以前在腦海裡已經埋藏著一個純白色瓷器展覽的想法，希望在一個純白色的空間放著純白色的瓷器，作品低調地融入在空間中，靜靜地⋯⋯彷彿不察覺它們的存在。
剛開始陶藝創作時往往會被白瓷的純白及細緻的質感所吸引，但當時技巧還未成熟，自以為能夠駕馭瓷泥這種物料，但很多時都被白瓷狠狠地打擊。那時的瓷泥對我們不太友善，所以我們決定轉用陶泥作為我們主要的創作物料，感覺陶泥跟我們比較合得來。直到最近我們遇到一個合適的場地，再次勾起腦海中純白展覽的想法；相隔8年，再次接觸瓷泥，彷佛遇到一個好久不見的朋友，既親切又陌生。那幼細絲滑的觸感是熟悉的感覺，但那柔軟難以控制的不確定性依然是我們害怕的事情。不過相隔這麼久再次使用瓷泥去創作，感覺認識她多了一點，大概是我們在這8年創作的歷練中成長了不少，理解到陶藝創作中很多東西都不是理所當然的。回想起當初使用瓷泥創作時，只是一廂情願地希望她成為我所想的形狀，但往往這心態就會使它叛逆地在作品中呈現。常常說創作者需要了解並與物料溝通，才能創作出好的作品，白瓷正正是一個難以駕馭的好例子。
我們有一位很喜歡的陶藝家——黑田泰藏，他在2021年去世了。黑田泰藏的作品是純白色的瓷器，他的作品抹去一切色彩，簡單自然地呈現器物的線條與形態，刻意地保留拉坯時的手指痕跡，呈現出創作過程中最真實最赤裸的狀態。因為白瓷十分細緻，讓我們在使用她創作時會不自覺地很想拿走所有痕跡，令作品表面變得平滑。黑田的作品邊緣十分薄，感覺放到嘴邊使用不太舒服，還很容易破爛，這一點是他希望衝擊一般認為器物作品不能成為藝術品的想法。當一件器物失去了吸引人去使用的特質時，它可以是一件藝術品嗎？
「白」是什麼形狀的？這是在創作是次展覽作品時一直在想的問題。可以是一個杯、可以是一個球、可以是一隻貓、可以是一朵花⋯⋯ 在這個宇宙中的每個角落，「白」會自然地形成它的形狀。這次我們也順著它給我們的感覺去創作出一系列的白瓷作品。希望在這個月圓的中秋，給大家一個可以好好感受充滿空白的空間。
For a long time, the idea of hosting an exhibition featuring pure white porcelain has been deeply rooted in my mind. I wished to showcase pure white porcelain in a space of pure white, where the artworks would blend subtly and quietly into the surroundings, almost evading notice.
When I first started working with clay, I was often drawn to the immaculate whiteness and delicate texture of white porcelain. While I believed I could master the use of porcelain clay, it often proved to be a formidable adversary. At that stage, my skills were still developing, and porcelain clay posed itself as a challenge that was difficult to surmount. Consequently, we shifted our focus to pottery clay as our primary creative medium. It felt more compatible and conducive to our creative process. Until recently, we stumbled upon a suitable venue, reigniting the desire of hosting a pure white exhibition. After an eight-year hiatus, the reunion with porcelain clay felt like meeting a long-lost friend—familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar. The delicate and smooth texture evoked a sense of familiarity, while the gentle and unpredictable nature of porcelain clay remained a source of fear. However, this extended period of absence from porcelain clay has allowed us to develop a deeper understanding of it. Perhaps we have grown significantly over the past eight years of artistic exploration, recognizing the importance of never taking anything for granted in the realm of ceramic art. Reflecting on our initial encounters with porcelain clay, all I wanted to do was to mold it into a shape I desire, only to witness the artworks rebelling against such intentions. It is often said that creators must understand and communicate with the materials they use to produce exceptional work. White porcelain is one of the prime examples that demands our respect and collaboration.
Taizō Kuroda, a beloved ceramic artist passed away in 2021. Kuroda’s works exclusively comprised pure white porcelain devoid of color, where lines and forms were presented in the most simple and natural way. Deliberately leaving fingerprints on the surfaces, he captured the essence of the creative process in its purest authenticity. Because white porcelain is so delicate, we often find ourselves, whether consciously or unconsciously, erasing from the artwork surface all traces of work. Kuroda’s pieces frequently featured thin edges that might feel uncomfortable when brought to one’s lips and appear susceptible to breakage. This deliberate choice challenged the notion that functional objects cannot be considered art — when a utensil loses its functionality, would it become a piece of art?
“What shape does ‘white’ assume?” This was the question that kept lingering in our minds as we prepared for this exhibition. It could be a cup, a sphere, a cat, a flower; in every corner of the universe, “white” naturally assumes its own shape. This time, we allowed “white” to guide us in creating a series of white porcelain pieces. On this full moon Mid-Autumn Festival, we hope to provide everyone with a space to truly immerse themselves in the purity that ‘white’ embodies.
關於梨木製陶所
陶瓷作為媒介， 創作實用器物。器物創作存在於藝術與設計模糊的界線之間，二人以此作為切入點，重新思考自身對當代陶藝的理解與定義，創作出以生活為本、能經歷時間的器物作品。
About Toki Nashiki
With ceramics as the medium, we create practical ware/utensils. Such creation exists between the blurry line of art and design, where the two of us start to rethink our understanding and definition of contemporary ceramics, thereby creating practical ware that is grounded in daily life and stands the test of time.
