HAGA Minoru - Hakuhaku plate, 25cm, C

This piece is by Minoru Haga, a ceramic artist working in Sera Town, Hiroshima Prefecture.

Haga studied Mino ware in Gifu, a renowned center for pottery, and later pursued his artistic endeavors while working at an automobile factory. In 2010, he opened a studio in Sera Town, near his hometown of Fuchu City, to dedicate himself full-time to his creative work.
His pieces simultaneously encompass two contrasting impressions: a dynamic, inorganic feel that evokes the beauty and severity of nature, and a subtle human softness that adds to their simple forms.

The "Ume-yaki" (Buried Firing) technique is a unique method that involves bisque firing, then glazing and firing again, and finally burying the piece in split wood and refiring it in a wood-fired kiln.
Although this technique carries a high risk of failure, it results in pottery with complex expressions, a challenge Haga enthusiastically embraces.

The "Hakuhaku" (Peeled White) series is a new venture using white glazes. It involves an intentional process of applying and then stripping away the glaze to achieve a deliberate, decayed texture.
These pieces are affordably priced, and their simple color tones enhance any dish.

The "Kurogin" (Black Silver) technique involves silver applications where the rough texture of the clay is visible.
The glare is subdued, creating a harmonious blend of a metallic texture with the black of the earth.

Haga presents the inherent irreversibility of pottery with utmost sincerity.
What emerges is not a simple dichotomy of destruction and rebirth, but an attitude that confronts the very "irretrievability" of things.
We hope you enjoy Haga's mastery of various techniques.

■ Dimensions: Diameter 25cm, Height 2cm
■ Weight: Approximately 860g
■ Microwave: × / Dishwasher: × / Oven: ×

*Minoru Haga's works value serendipity, so there are significant individual differences.
The photos show pieces of roughly the same size, but please note that the patterns and exact sizes vary, so consider them as illustrative examples.
The "Ume-yaki" series has a stronger random nature than "Hakuhaku." Please be aware of this in advance.

<Minoru Haga>
1983 Born in Fuchu City, Hiroshima Prefecture
2008 Graduated from Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center, received Graduation Project Award
2012 5th Contemporary Tea Ceremony Pottery Exhibition, 24th Toki City Oribe Day Memorial Project, TOKI Oribe Encouragement Award
2013 Selected for the 6th Contemporary Tea Ceremony Pottery Exhibition, 25th Toki City Oribe Day Memorial Project
2014 Built a wood-fired kiln in Sera Town, Sera District, Hiroshima Prefecture