vol.135
Elements / Foundation : Iron / Soil
Kouichi Uchida
9.24 - 10.10.2021
"Material of origin"
Koichi Uchida's birthplace runs an ironworks. For Uchida, who has felt the manufacturing site from a young age, the material of iron is familiar and at the same time the foundation of his creation.
The soil becomes hard when it is baked, but the beginning of its shape is mud. Iron is formed by applying heat to soften it.
Uchida treats iron and soil as materials in the same way and forms them sensuously.
I asked him the title of this exhibition would be "soil" as the origin of the material, but his answer was "iron and soil". I see, It make sense. For Kouichi Uchida, both materials are familiar and are suitable for expressing himself.
In other words, his recent creation is wide, not only by his hands, but do the direction of making art museum. he may have no boundaries.
However, his sensibilities by manufacturing with hands and eyes are unique, and as a gallerist, I am always looking forward to being fascinated.
Gallery NAO MASAKI
Nao Masaki
Kouichi Uchida
Ceramist, Sculptor, Art director
Kouichi Uchida was born in Nagoya 1969, Aichi Prefecture. After graduating from Aichi Prefectural Seto Pottery Senior High School, he embarked on a journey of visiting many potteries across the world. Living and working in many places, he learned how to work in clay of each region through hands-on experience. In 1992, he set up his own kiln in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. Since then, He has enthusiastically held solo exhibitions at
museums and galleries both inside and outside Japan. Besides pottery, he continuously strives to expand his artistic horizons by creating various art works, such as metal works and interior design. His wide-ranging works have been highly regarded in many quarters. In late November 2015, he established BANKO archive design museum in Yokkaichi. Inits permanent and themed exhibitions, Uchida seeks to present the charm of local pottery, Banko ware, as art, crafts and design, from his unique perspective.
＜Museum & Art Exposition＞
2018 「Kouichi Uchida, designing the era」The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo
2017 「Source of Shapes」Rakusuitei Museum, Toyama
2013 「Kouichi Uchida Exhibition」paramita museum, Mie
2012 「Crossed Viewpoint and Forms Exhibition」Sapporo Art Museum、Kushiro Art Museum, Hokkaido
The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial, Niigata
2011 「 Power of creation : creators for every day life」 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
SOFA Fair Chicago
2010 「3rd the Muse Tomo Prize Contemporary Ceramics for the tea Ceremony.
Free Creativity and Atypical Usage」 Musée Tomo, Tokyo
「About the Tea Ceremony—a Viewpoint on Contemporary Studio Crafts」
Crafts Gallery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
2009 「43th Tea ceremony in meiji mura」The museum Meiji-mura, Inuyama Aichi
2008 Contemporary ceramic art in Tokai through the expression of young artists.
Aichi Prefectural ceramic museum, Aichi
SOFA Fair New York, melbourne art fair
2006 「Ceramic NOW+ 」The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo
2003 「UCHIDA KOUICHI」paramita museum, Mie
2000 「Utsuwa: Thoughts on Contemporary Vessels」
Crafts Gallery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
＜Solo Exhibition＞
Galerie Besson, London、Kuroda-Touen, Tokyo、Gallery Yamaki Fine Art, Kobe、Gallery NAO MASAKI, Nagoya and etc.
＜Books＞
2015 「The world of Banko pottery :
Originarity from ingenuity and
creativity」Seibundo Shinkosha
2014 「Source of Shape」
BIJUTSU SHUPPAN-SHA
2011 「MADE IN JAPAN :
The things natural」anonima studio
2004 「box of tea」 Rutles
2003 「UCHIDA KOUICHI」Kyuryudo
＜Collection＞
The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo,
Shiseido Art House, paramita museum,
Rakusuitei Museum, etc.
