I went to see Kawai Makito firing anagama kiln!
We went to observe the anagama firing by Kawai Makito, who makes pottery for Hachi Lab.
Kawai studied pottery in Kyoto and aspires to "create pottery in Tokyo." He is an artist who continues to create installations that bring to fruition images that freely shift from architectural shapes to abstraction and then concrete forms.
Recently, Kawai has been active in a wide range of fields, with photographs of his work permanently displayed in a cafe.
I took a bus from Hachioji Station and participated in Kawai's pit kiln firing in the temple grounds.
The cries of the Japanese bush warbler and the croaking of the bullfrog,
It's in such a tranquil location that it's hard to believe you're in Tokyo.
The kiln will be fired for three days, so greetings will be given to the fire department and local residents in advance.
This firing was the first in about a year and a half.
Add firewood while checking the temperature and color of the smoke.
Immediately after adding firewood, black smoke will rise, and after a certain amount of time the smoke will settle, and then you can add more firewood,
We take turns managing the fire for three days.
This time, approximately 300 pieces of work by 80 students are lined up and baked.
This kiln is about 6m deep and is apparently about 15 years old.
Depending on where you place it, the fire will change and the finished product will also change.
Kawai apparently decides the placement of each piece.
After arranging the pieces, arrange the bricks at the front, avoiding the area where firewood will be stored.
After adding the firewood, close the iron lid.
The firewood is gently dropped so as not to hit the artwork.
It was about 700 degrees in the morning on the first day.
Gradually increase the temperature.
On the first day, the temperature will be raised to 1000 degrees.
I adjust the temperature based on this table, watching the thermometer as I go along.
I put some firewood in the middle of the night, but it was very hot.
I wonder if the artists who make their pieces in a kiln go through this process every time.
The weight of each piece of work increases.
What surprised me was the amount of firewood.
No matter how much I cut it, it's never enough, and it just keeps burning.
I learned how difficult it is to fire works in a wood-fired kiln.
And then I suddenly started thinking about the cost of buying firewood.
Seeing the time and cost it takes to create a single piece,
My desire to deliver the artists' pots to people who love them has grown even stronger.
This time, the fire was fired once. Kawai started by using scraps of building materials to heat up the fire,
Partway through we add firewood that has been selected to give it a natural luster.
He said that when it gets to 1,200 degrees, it becomes busy not only to control the temperature but also to dispose of the ash and adjust the kiln.
Apparently the color of the flame changes when it reaches 1200 degrees, but the HachiLab staff could only go on the first day, so
Next time I would like to come back and experience the rise in temperature.
This time, I had the opportunity to experience this with Kawai's students.
Everyone was very kind and it was a pleasant kiln firing experience.
thank you very much.
You can actually see the works being baked here.
If you are interested, please come.
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The 12th Sotsutaku Kiln Ceramics Exhibition
Date and time: 2024/6/12 (Wed) - 6/16 (Sun)
Opening hours: 10:00-17:00
Venue: Hachioji Octole 11F Hachioji City Gakuentoshi Center Second Gallery Hall
〒192-0083 9-1 Asahi-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo
Access: 3 minutes walk from the north exit of JR Hachioji Station
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We also have a class taught by Makito Kawai.
If you're interested in pottery, why not try making your own original pot?
Of course, you can learn about a variety of other creations besides pots.
Sotsutaku Kiln Pottery Class
https://sottaku.com/
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