Crafts

Keisuke Serizawa

Kiln Opening in Mashiko

Period

1940's

Size

（Paper） Length80×Width34.6cm

Shoji Hamada bought a farmhouse and set up a kiln in Mashiko Town in Haga, Tochigi Prefecture, in 1930, after which he continued to make pottery there. Serizawa vividly depicted this scene where Bernard Leach is opening Hamada kiln in dyed textiles. Serizawa also included images of the climbing kiln with smoke coming out, a nagaya gate, majestic residences, and the workshop.

Keisuke Serizawa

1895－1984

Born in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Attracted to Bingata dyeing from the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan, he devoted himself to research and created a unique style of Kataezome (stencil dyeing). He was part of the Mingei Movement and produced numerous masterpieces. His work was distinguished by its use of characteristic design of letters. In 1956, he was designated an Intangible Cultural Property Holder for his Kataezome technique.