Potters From Japan: Exhibition
Dates: 2 March - 19 May 2019 (extended until 23 June 2019)
Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada’s endeavours, in establishing the Leach Pottery nearly a century ago, cemented a lifelong friendship and strong bonds between subsequent potters and their communities in the UK and Japan.
This exhibition presents selected pots by Potters From Japan – makers with historic and contemporary connections to the Leach Pottery. Featuring:
Shinsaku Hamada
Tomoo Hamada
Hamada Pottery
Shigeyoshi Ichino
Kazuya Ishida
Yusuke Matsubayashi
Yumi Seko.
Shinsaku Hamada, the second son of Shoji Hamada, visited the Leach Pottery in 1963. Shinsaku, who will be 90 in March, continues to pot in Mashiko. Tomoo Hamada, Shinsaku’s son, first visited the Leach Pottery in 1995, had a residency at the Pottery in 2009, and also works in Mashiko.
Shigeyoshi Ichino, from the Tamba region of Japan, worked at the Leach Pottery from 1969-73: Bernard and Janet Leach were introduced to Shigeyoshi’s father, Tanso, by Shoji Hamada in the early 1950’s. Janet Leach went on to study under Tanso for two years. Shigeyoshi died in 2011.
Kazuya Ishida was born in Bizen. He has worked in both the UK and Japan, established an anagama kiln in Oxford in 2015, and demonstrated at the Leach Pottery in 2018.
Yusuke Matsubayashi had a residency at the Leach Pottery in 2015 – following in his great grand uncle Tsuronosuke Matsubayashi's footsteps who arrived at the Pottery in 1923, following Hamada’s invitation, to build the climbing kiln.
Yumi Seko works from her own studio near Tokyo. She apprenticed under Tomoo Hamada from 2007 onwards, then trained at the Leach Pottery for a year in 2012.
Leach Pottery Entrance Gallery: all works for sale
