Encounters with Japan: MURASE Jihei III, lacquer artist and collector скачать в хорошем качестве

Encounters with Japan: MURASE Jihei III, lacquer artist and collector

Murase Jihei III is a lacquer artist living in Tokyo. He welcomes us into his home to discuss artworks in his collection and the way they have shaped his own practice. We do not often consider that artists and craftsmen may also be collectors, yet this dual identity offers a compelling lens through which to understand creative work. The culture of tea is central to Murase's life and art, and during this encounter we visit the three tea rooms that grace his house. Born in 1957, Murase studied sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University before joining his family’s long-standing lacquerware studio. In 2001 he succeeded to the name Jihei III and assumed the role of seventh-generation lacquerware base maker. In his studio he oversees every stage of production, from woodworking to the application of urushi lacquer. He creates pieces that are both functional and elegant and can be used in the context of tea gatherings. A dedicated tea practitioner, Murase has been collecting artworks and tea utensils for many years. Japan’s tea tradition calls for carefully selected utensils to elevate each gathering, encouraging the patronage of a wide range of artists and craftspeople. The first non-Japanese artwork acquired by Murase is Spade Form by Hans Coper (1920-1981), which he purchased in 2009. A German-born British potter, Hans Coper was a dominant figure in European pottery who brought a new approach to the field in the post-war period. Also in the tokonoma (alcove) is a lithograph by Anish Kapoor (b. 1954), a British sculptor specializing in installation art and conceptual art. Murase then shows us two works by Lucie Rie (1902-1995), the Austrian-born British studio potter known for her innovative and modern approach to ceramics. Murase mentions Hayashiya Seizo (1928-2017), a prominent tea master, crafts expert and former curator of Tokyo National Museum, who had a profound influence on his career. Then Murase shows Japanese artworks in his collection, beginning with the oldest. The first is a tea bowl created by Furuta Oribe (1544-1615) about 350 years ago. A Kyoto feudal lord, Oribe became a tea master who played a seminal role in establishing a unique set of aesthetic. His ceramics, which are sometimes irregular or deformed in shape and are colourfully decorated with brushed designs, present a startlingly modern appearance. His teacher was Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), a tea master who redefined the tea ceremony in all its aspects ad is considered one of the most significant figures in Japanese cultural history. His emphasis was on modest, rustic simplicity and he also developed and created many Japanese-style tea-ceremony objects, including tea scoops. From his collection of modern and contemporary tea implements, Murase presents a tea bowl by Kamoda Shoji (1933-1983) who is considered by many experts to be the greatest Japanese ceramic artist of the 20th century, for his groundbreaking approach to surface decoration. Next is a tea bowl by Kondo Takahiro (b. 1958) who lives in Kyoto, where Murase visited him in his studio. Working in porcelain, Kondo has been experimenting with other media, resulting in his unique and distinctive “silver mist” (gintekisai) glaze. Incorporating platinum, gold and silver, the glaze cling to the porcelain surface in streams of molten droplets. While visiting Miwa Kyusetsu XIII, whose studio is in Hagi, a historic pottery centre in Western Japan, Murase acquired one of his tea bowls. Its bold, sculptural form and the rich, creamy white glaze are emblematic of the celebrated ceramicist. Murase was inspired to pair the tea bowl with some of his own pieces made in Negoro lacquer, a traditional style distinguished by its vermillion surface. Later Murase acquired a water jar by another member of the Miwa lineage: Miwa Kyusetsu XI (1910–2012), the father of Kyusetsu XIII. Renowned for his distinctive use of coarse, sand-infused clay and opulent white ash glazes, Kyusetsu XI was designated a Living National Treasure in 1983. The last ceramic Murase is presenting is by Kakurezaki Ryuichi (b. 1950) who lives in Bizen where he has developed his own original style. His sharply cut forms and three-legged vessels have become his trademark. We conclude our visit in Murase’s largest tea room, where a painting by Hosokawa Morihiro (b. 1938) hangs in the tokonoma (alcove). Formerly a politician who served as Japan’s 79th prime minister from 1993 to 1994, Hosokawa has devoted himself to artistic practice since retiring from politics. He engages in a wide range of media and has earned wide recognition as an artist. In 2024, he completed a series of paintings on sliding doors for a temple at Koya-san, a monastic complex founded in the 9th century. Murase was able to acquire a preparatory study related to this project. Murase Jihei III website: https://jiheimurase.com #japan #japaneseart #artcollector #teaceremony #japaneseculture #japaneseartist #japanesecraft #urushi