Ms Midori
Aoshima, who I had met at the Leach pottery and come to know better through her
kind assist in kilning my ceramics, officially moved to London and started her
fresh activity at newly-opened atelier “Zen Pottery” at the County Hall. She
had to flew back to London before fully enjoy prosperity of her own exhibition
held in Nihonbashi Takashimaya in Tokyo which comprised mainly her works from
St. Ives.
When I
visited the atelier recently I was re-cognizant of the County Hall’s beautiful
appearance and structure which stood in superb location, and within it, there
were 3 super-sized, stunning kilns sitting and waiting to be fired up.
Carrying
Japanese spirit and equipped with skills from the same origin, her enthusiastic
manner towards endless search for ultimate creation from the unison of British
raw materials and environment, though our styles of works differ, is
undoubtingly inspiring.
I cannot
deny my high expectation for cooperating with her in future, whether it is for
her assistance in creating my own ceramics or decorating hers with my idea of
culinary art.
Based on
Midori’s impressive connection and insight into the field of British ceramic
art, I have great confidence in her future success which is unlimitedly widened
by her deep affection to culture of British/Japanese ceramic and culinary art.
St.Ivesの Leach pottery でお会いし、素人の私が形作った陶器を快く焼成してくださった青島みどりさんが正式にロンドンに移住され、あのカウンティホールに新設されたZen potteryというアトリエで活動を再開されました。
みどりさんは先日、St.Ivesで作られた作品により、日本橋の高島屋で個展をされ、大盛況に後ろ髪を引かれながら英国に戻ってこられました。
先日工房を訪ねたとき、改めてその立地と、建物の素晴らしさに感動しました。そしてその素晴らしいビルの中に信じられないほど大きな窯が3基、使われることを待ちわびるかのように据えられていました。
日本人の精神、技術を持ち合わせ、英国の素材と空気の中で何が出来るかを模索されている姿は、作るものは違っても非常に共感するところがあります。
みどりさんは英国の陶芸界にも広い人脈をもたれていますし、英国と日本の陶芸や食に関わる文化に非常に興味をもたれているのでこれからの活躍が大いに期待されます。
