Kikuchi Shunji exhibition sales
When I slip on my jacket, slip on my knit cap, and head outside, I enjoy the changes in the trees and cityscape, and I always end up walking until my nose gets cold. The morning air on my face is cool, the sky is darkening earlier than before, and before I know it, the seasons have completely changed.
It's getting colder and colder, but at the same time, it feels like there are more and more moments that make our hearts feel at ease. Drinking coffee at a cafe, soaking in the bath, relaxing on the sofa after arriving at home... the more relaxing moments we have, the kinder we can be to others and ourselves. This time, we'd like to introduce you to an event that will warm your heart and make you feel kind just by looking at it.
We will be holding an exhibition and sale of porcelain by Toshiharu Kikuchi for seven days from Saturday, November 16th to Friday, November 22nd.
Let me now introduce Mr. Toshiharu Kikuchi.
Kikuchi currently lives and works in Ishikawa Prefecture. Many of his works are made using a method called "Ikomi" (casting). After entering art university, he became interested in ceramics among his friends and began learning the casting method. He also says that he gets inspiration for his designs from his own sketches. He loved drawing from an early age, and would draw portraits of his parents and pictures of birds.
A casting method that allows for the creation of a variety of shapes while maintaining uniform thickness.
Liquid clay, called slip, is poured into an absorbent plaster mold, and once the plaster mold has absorbed a certain amount of water, the excess slip is discarded. This allows the hardened remaining part to take shape.
The white-based design and smooth texture are as beautiful as natural stone that has lost its sharp edges over the years. The shadows change depending on the place and angle you place it, and you can see a variety of expressions, so it's fun to change where you place it to match the season, time of year, or interior. Even on an ordinary day, just noticing such changes makes you feel like you've found a new happiness and warms your heart.
We also have a brown beckoning cat available. This one is not cast, but is molded by pressing a board into a plaster mold. The differences in texture, color, and shadowing give it a different look and warmth, so please enjoy looking at the differences.
In addition, for this event, we have created a wide variety of Maneki Neko items that bring happiness in honor of Tori no Ichi.
Both Tori no Ichi and Maneki Neko have a long history, dating back to the Edo period. They also share the commonality of wishing for good luck and prosperity in business. The meaning of a Maneki Neko varies depending on how its hands are raised; a right hand raised is said to bring good fortune, while a left hand raised is said to bring people. The colors also seem to have meanings such as road safety (blue), romance (pink), and health (red). The height of the hands also has meaning; the longer the hands are, the more distant the fortune will be, and the shorter the hands are, the closer the fortune will be. Most of the Maneki Neko created by Kikuchi are white, with the right hand raised. The white color is said to represent good luck and happy smiles (good luck).
*Tori no Ichi: A festival held throughout the Kanto region to pray for good fortune and prosperity in business.
"We paid particular attention to the texture and shape, so please come and take a look at it!" says Kikuchi.
Please enjoy Kikuchi's works while thinking about where to put them, what to eat ice cream with when you get home, how cocoa would taste even better if you drank it from this mug, and so on. All the staff look forward to seeing you.
