Ryotaro Kato’s ceramic exhibition “Echoes of Flame” was held in Singapore from 6th to 14th of December 2024. The venue, HULS Gallery Singapore, is located in Duxton Hill, where have high-end shops and restaurants in line. In the everlasting summer sunshine, I walked through the gorgeous cityscape and stepped into the gallery on the hilltop. I met the world of Japanese traditional Momoyama pottery in a quiet and tranquil space. Next international stage of the artist – new inspirations and challenges are about to begin. (Interviewer/Editor: Yuko Tsuruoka)
Long-awaited overseas solo exhibition
Relation in Singapore
Around 2022, when the situation of COVID-19 had been calmed down, I was looking for an opportunity to go abroad again. I met a chance to hold a solo exhibition at HULS Gallery Singapore. Representative of the gallery Mr. Yusuke Shibata established the gallery in 2017 to introduce Japanese crafts. After that, he opened new gallery in Akasaka, Tokyo and my works were showed in the gallery in Japan. I sympathized with Shibata’s desire to spread of Japanese crafts to overseas. Also, I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to challenge with my works in the international city like Singapore. I was very looking forward to this solo exhibition.
In the Autum of 2024, I hold my coming 2 exhibitions “Special Exhibition: Ryotaro Kato Hanpaku Memorial Exhibition” at Tamesaburo Memorial Museum in Furukawa Art Museum in Nagoya, and the “Japan Ceramic Association Award Commemorative Exhibition in 2023” at Kochukyo in Nihonbashi. And I was also preparing for this solo exhibition in Singapore at the same time. It takes time to transport my works to Singapore for shipping and customs procedures. I had prepared and sent some of my works in advance and I hand-carried rest of my works in the airplane on 5th of December. The hand-carried works were fired in my kiln in late November. This is my last solo exhibition in a culmination of my 50 years old year, so I carefully considered which works to bring to the exhibition.
Concept of the exhibition
For this exhibition, I focused on tea bowls as main objects, vases, new sake ware, and calligraphy were shown with the balance of the exhibition in my mind. I placed tea bowls which is my main works all the my creating time at the entrance for the main exhibit. And on the shelves, I placed vases on glass display. I enjoyed the change of colour with Oribe vases in the natural light, they were displayed window side.
I placed and hanged my scroll written “Naderu” meaning of “affection” and arranged my Mino pottery in a very stylish space of HULS Gallery Singapore. The works looked very good and I felt that I could create my own space. I was very happy to be able to create my own worldview in Singapore.
Heartfelt exchange through tea ceremony
Sense of the colour in Singapore
As the title “Echoes of Flame”, I wanted visitors to feel the world of Mino pottery born from the flames in the classic anagama kiln. I lined up many types of tea bowls, including Shino white, Setoguro black, Oribe green, Rurikuro dark blue, Jukushi brown, and Tsubakide light brown.
I thought Singaporean people have their own preferences about the colour of ceramics. Among the variety of techniques such as Shino white, Setoguro black, and Rurikuro dark blue, Oribe green was the most popular. Also, brown tea bowls like Jyukushi were surprisingly well-preferred. Singapore has colourful culture such as Peranakan architecture and Peranakan tiles. Perhaps they prefer vibrant colour such as green, yellow, and pink.
The common language of “tea ceremony”
During the two days while I was in the gallery, I organised tea ceremonies with my tea bowls to entertained people. A Taiwanese tea master attended twice the ceremonies and he was very pleased. Although Japanese tea ceremony and Taiwanese tea ceremony have different cultural backgrounds and forms, but they have same spirit as communicating between the host and guest through tea. I was asked if it was OK to use my tea bowl for Taiwanese tea ceremony, but of course, I think it’s fine to use it however you like.
A famous Japanese collector living in Singapore also visited the exhibition. He was happy to see that he never thought he would meet Mino tea bowls in Singapore, and we had a precious discussion about pottery. A junior from my university was teaching pottery in Singapore, and she visited the gallery with her many students and tea friends, I had a lot of conversation in the tea ceremony.
A Singaporean who is knowledgeable about Japanese culture also visited to the gallery and we had a lively conversation. We promised to meet up at Kobei-gama in Japan next time. HULS is very important place for exhibiting Japanese pottery in Singapore, so I think this Gallery is very important for us.
And the journey continues.
I hope I have another solo exhibition in Singapore someday. Also, I would like to hold a solo exhibition in France, where there is a deep knowledge of Japanese culture. I would like to promote my works and Japanese tradition Mino Momoyama pottery as many as possible all over the world, and I expect to be inspired by diverse cultures for my creations.
In my fifties, I would like to travel as many as possible. I think that having this solo exhibition in Singapore was my new step for my next challenge. I feel grateful for the connection with people and friends as well. I will continue to find my opportunities to travel abroad again in the future.
