Hamada Shoji, Untitled (Bottle Vase), Undated

Ceramic
20.5 x 17 x 10.5 cm
Condition: Very good

-

Hamada Shoji (Japanese, 1894–1978) was a pioneering figure in 20th-century Japanese ceramics and a key contributor to the mingei (folk craft) movement. Having studied at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Hamada travelled to England in the 1920s, where he worked alongside potter Bernard Leach in St Ives. Upon returning to Japan, he settled in Mashiko, dedicating his life to reviving and preserving local pottery traditions. In 1955, Hamada was named a Living National Treasure for his contributions to Japanese craft.

Hamada’s work embodies the ideals of mingei – valuing functionality, humility, and the handmade. His pots, often glazed in natural tones of kaki (persimmon), nuka (rice husk ash), and temmoku, reflect a deep respect for local materials and techniques. Despite his global reputation, Hamada resisted the notion of the “artist” as a singular genius, instead advocating for the anonymous beauty of everyday objects. His legacy is not only in the forms he created, but in the philosophy he upheld – that art and life are one, and beauty exists in use.

(Photographed in January 2025)