Giving Form to the unique Japanese Sense of Beauty
When I gently picked up one of Mr. Mizuno’s pottery, I was surprised at how light it was which was hard to imagine from its bold appearance. After molding, he takes his time to remove unnecessary parts from the outside and inside of the bowl to make it lighter, so women may easily hold it as well. Mr. Mizuno’s aesthetic sense is also reflected in the asymmetrical pottery created by hand. In Japan, there is a culture and sensibility that asymmetry is beautiful. Of course, perfectly balanced things are beautiful. However, there is an indescribable beauty to be found in a form in which imbalances are harmonized in perfect balance. In addition, the artist also shows his talent in color. For example, the emerald green shade of Oribe glaze is impressive in “Rainbow Colored Clouds”. Like clouds bathed in sunlight, beautiful rainbow colors appear depending on the angle of the light. This is another expression of beauty that can only be found in Mr. Mizuno, who respects the Japanese people’s unique sense of beauty, such as a sense of season and emotion. Finally, Mr. Mizuno names each of his finished works. The black Seto teacup, with its sturdy appearance, is named “Ikkan”, the Shino teacup, which expresses the spirit of calmly approaching things, is named “kokoroshizukani”, and the black Oribe teacup, with its “0, △, □” painted on it, is named “Heijoshin”, which expresses the idea of “not being attached, not being obsessed, not being caught up”. These are derived from the Zen philosophy that is closely connected with the tea ceremony. The work is finally completed when it is given a name.
