Kiyoharu Ichino  市野清治

Nestled in a beautiful valley along the Shitodani River among towering mountains northwest of Kyoto is the picturesque village Tachikui, the historic center of Tanba pottery. Tanba*, meaning 'Red Waves', got its name from a kind of red rice grown in ancient time which turned the fields into a sea of red. The rich ferrous soil in this area has supported generations of farmers as well as potters since the early Kamakura period (1180-1230). The oldest existing noborigama (climbing kiln) in Japan is found here. This serene unpretentious locale is home of some of the most beautiful ceramics that have influenced aesthetic development in Japan and the western world. Bernard Leach, British ceramist behind the 20th century art and craft movement, was a frequent guest in this village.

Because of its relative isolation, Tanba is less influenced by outside commercial trends than some other more accessible pottery towns in Japan. Old Tanba pottery had a restrained dignified appearance, exuding quiet confidence that reflected its proud heritage. This unique quality is evident in the works of contemporary Tanba ceramist Kiyoharu Ichino featured in this exhibition.

Kiyoharu Ichino was born in 1957 in Tachikui into an extended family steeped in pottery-making tradition. After learning all aspects of Tanba pottery from his father, he moved to Seto at age 20 to study pottery under a master of Akatsu-yaki. Upon returning to Tachikui, he launched his career with the Tanba Group Kiln. In 1983, he established his own kiln and established a contemporary style that drew strength from traditional Tanba pottery without being confined by it. He began showing in galleries all over Japan. His works were selected repeatedly for the prestigious juried Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition sponsored by the Japan Crafts Association. In 1995, he was nominated to be a permanent member of The Japan Crafts Association, an honor bestowed to the most experienced and talented artists.

Traditional Tanba pottery is fired unglazed at very high temperature in large wood-fueled kilns. Ichino uses both an anagama (hole kiln) and a noborigama (climbing kiln), burning almost a thousand bundles of red pine over several days to bring out the unique personalities of Tanba clay, which is renowned for its rich texture and deep purplish brown colors. Many of his pieces show silvery fire-marks like swirling mists left by the wood fire. His pieces appear to be integral parts of the clay rather than separate objects made from it. To show the unique clay texture, he often includes seemingly unfinished edges in his designs, exposing the rough clay body. Despite the high level of sophistication and innovation, Ichino's works maintain a strong connection with the ancient Tanba traditions.

Ichino's works have been exhibited in Touching Stone Gallery in Santa Fe since 2000, and as part of the Quiet Beauty Japanese Ceramic Exhibition in the New Mexico Museum of International Folk Art in 2006. The current show features 23 new works that exemplify the artist's extraordinary combination of beauty, power and technical expertise forged by centuries of total dedication to advancing this ancient art form.   

*Note:  Tanba - comprising the Japanese kanji characters 丹 'Tan' (red) and 波 'Ba' (wave) - is often written as Tamba, which corrupts its pronunciation and meaning. Tanba, translated according to revised Hepburn Romanization, better reflects the origin of the name.

Click on images to view selected pieces

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