後半 "感情が迸る先へ、まだ見ぬ陶芸を目指して"
前半「既存概念を覆すニュースタイルの確立」はこちら
— ご自身のテーマとしている「陶芸素材の再解釈」について詳しく教えてください
発想の根本を素材から見つめ直した時に辿り着いたのが土と釉薬でした。ひと口に土や釉薬と言ってもそれ自体が多くの物質から成り立っています。さらに私はそれぞれを従来の役割として区別するのではなく、焼き物を構成する「素材」としてフラットに捉え直し、細かくフォーカスすることで様々な表現ができるのではと考えました。例えば釉薬は色彩的な効果を与える装飾的な役割を果たしたり、実用面においては耐水効果を期待して使われるのが一般的です。私の場合、釉薬は土よりも熔けやすいものと再解釈する事で現在の作品を作っています。同じ素材でも考え方を変えるだけで全く異なるものができる。常識とされていた関係性を一度クリアにして再構築することが独自のスタイルとなっていきました。
素材の次は形にも着目しました。土と釉薬という素材で起こる現象にとって既存の「器」という形状が最適な形なのだろうかと。底をなくしたり、ドローイングのような複雑な形に成形したり、通常とは異なる向きで焼いてみたり。実験してみると色々な発見があるんですよね。例えば割れ目を作る時は、亀裂を入れる位置はコントロールできるけれど深さは窯を開けてみないとわからないんです。コントロールできる部分とできない部分があり、陶芸は陶芸家だけで完成することはなく素材や窯も含めた関係性の中で生まれるものなんだなと実感しています。作家、素材、焼成が各々の全力を出してバランスの取れたところが最も健康的なクリエイションなんじゃないかなと。そして最終的に出来上がった作品の意図をわかりやすく伝えるのが作家である私が介入する意義だと考えています。
— 形だけではなく作品名にも特徴がありますがどのように考えているのでしょうか
記号や符号的な意味合いでつけることが多いです。例えば「膜」というシリーズではそのまま膜のように薄い。膜が外側と内側の最小限の境目のように、土も存在する事のできる最小限にするようにと名付けました。
「骸」というシリーズも骸骨の意味よりも、太い大木が朽ちた時の表皮を骸と呼ぶのですが、形骸化という言葉のように中身のない表面だけ残るような薄さ、残った物がより強く本来あったものを想起させるなという気づきが面白く作品とリンクしたのでタイトルにしました。あとは土という側面から地層用語を調べて気に入った単語を書き留めています。作品ができたら、もう一度その言葉を調べ直し、意味が合えば採用します。また字面もとても大切にしています。文字で書いた時に漢字でも英語でもかっこよくないと嫌なんです（笑）例えばなんて事ない石だけどフォルムが美しいとか、使い絞り切られたボンドのシワや形状がかっこいいとか。直感的に良いと思う感覚は私のクリエイションの核になる部分です。一方でなんとなくだけでは中身がない。当初、作品の説明をすることを避けてきたのですが、説明することで私の感覚をより深く理解し共感してもらえるのはとても嬉しいことです。
— メディアのテーマでもある「茶の湯」に対するイメージやご自身の作品に反映される精神性があれば教えてください
お茶は流派を変えながら5年ほど習っていました。始めたきっかけは陶芸との関係が深かったのでとりあえずやってみようという感じです。最初は所作やお茶時の流れを覚えることで精一杯。ただ慣れてくると徐々に季節を感じることができるようになるんですよね。今まで聞こえなかった小さな音が聞こえたり、周りのうつろいに敏感になったり。私にとってお茶の時間は感性を養う楽しくて貴重な時間でした。
陶芸との関わりでは「見立て」の文化との親和性を強く感じています。例えば拾ってきた石を食器に見立てて食べ物を盛ることもできるし、全く別の用途のものを茶碗として使うこともできる。アイデア一つでたちまち作品となるような懐の深い文化だと思っています。以前、穴の空いた抹茶碗を作ったのですが、抹茶を飲む時は器の顔（正面）との関係上、飲み口が決まっています。普通ならこのままでは使えない。でも作品として成立させたい。その時に発想の転換で、飲み口を外せば穴があいていても抹茶碗として使えるのではと思いアイデアを膨らませました。「見立て」という文化は私の創作に非常にマッチする考え方で作家として自分の居場所があるなと感じた価値観です。
— 何でもありなのに良いものとそうじゃないものが出てくるのが茶の湯の奥深いところでもありますよね
大前提としてまずは思いきり自分がやりたいクリエイションをする。そこで生まれるかっこいい現象がたくさんあるので、それらをどう整理することで用途性を持たせられるか。そのプロセスが面白いと感じています。だから茶碗をはじめ茶の湯にまつわる作品を作ることは非常に楽しいです。このルールを押さえておけば機能としてはクリアできているなとか、日常使いとアートピースとの狭間にあるもので、ルールに則れば成立するものだと思っています。脳の使い方が普段とは違うので刺激になりますね。
— 最後に、さらに追求したい表現や挑戦したいことなど今後の展望を教えてください
大きな方向性としては土と釉薬というものに囚われず「陶芸素材の再解釈」を続けながら新しいものをクリエイションしていきたいです。もっと近い展望で言うとダイナミックな現象を扱っている一方で、細かな点にフォーカスしながら作品の密度を上げたい。例えばこの色にしたいと思って焼き上げた時の色が本当に心から表現したかった色なのかとか。色の可能性を追求したら未知の表現ができるかもしれないと思っています。やっと自分自身の技術が思考に追いついてきたので、私はこれをもって何を表現したかったのか、何を語りたかったのか、何でこれが好きなんだろうという感覚的な部分を改めて考えなければいけない時期だなと感じています。 現在の作品もかっこいいから、好きだから、という表面的な部分がまだまだあるので、試行錯誤して研究した成果として、こういう現象があるからこそ美しいと言えるような作品の密度をあげていきたいです。この薄さにはこういう自分の想いが表現されているからとか、こういう感情をカタチにできたから好きだとか。その想いを誰かに伝えたりタイトルにするのは必須ではないと思いますが、目に見えないものをしっかりと理解して作ることで、同じものでも作品としての強度が全く異なると思います。自問自答をして自分のことをもっと理解したいですね。
あとは9月から滋賀県の信楽にある陶芸の森に半年間行く予定です。世界を舞台に活躍する陶芸家が滞在制作しています。私が扱うのは現象なので大きな作品になるほど成形や焼きのコントロールが難しくうまくいかないことがほとんど。でもやっと陶芸の事が少し分かってきたので、新しい環境ならではの制作ができればと思っています。例えば作品のスケールを上げるとか。きっと上手くいかないことも多いと思いますが、悔しい思いをする中で次に活かせる種を見つけられると思っています。素材、技法、形。陶芸には沢山の可能性があり私自身も自分がどう変化していくのか楽しみです。
“A New Type of Ceramics Through an Accumulated Thoughts” — Namika Nakai (Ceramic Artist)
Pursuing an undiscovered form of ceramics through an overflow of passion
— Please tell us in detail about your reinterpretation of ceramic materials which is also your main theme.
When I revisited the principle of my idea, I concluded that its primary factors were clay and glaze. However, clay and glaze are also composed of may materials. Moreover, I started to think I could generate numerous expressions by equally reconsidering clay and glaze as materials that constitute ceramicware and focusing on each of them without distinguishing their traditional roles. For example, glaze plays a decorative role for its chromatic effects, and in the practical aspect, it is commonly applied for its water-resistant properties. In my case, I apply glaze to my work by reinterpreting it a a material that is more soluble compared to clay. Since the results change drastically by changing how a material is interpreted, I made it my unique style to reconstitute conventional ideas regarding the relationship between materials.
From there, I started focusing on form. I began pondering what the ideal shape was for existing ceramic pieces based on the phenomena that occur between clay and glaze. As I experimented various expressions such as by excluding the bottom portion of a piece, molding my work in abstract forms as if they were drawings, and baking the clay in non-conventional angles, I was met with a vast number of discoveries. For example, if I was aiming to apply a crack to a piece, I could control where that crack would occur, but I was unable to control how deep the crack would go. In this sense, there were factors that could and could not be controlled. I came to realize that ceramic art is something that becomes complete through the relationship between elements such as material and kiln, and is not something achieved solely by the artist. Through this, I came to realize that balancing out the best performances of the artist, material, and baking process was essential in creating an art piece that was convincing, and my interaction as an artist to convey the intent of the work was of great significance.
— Aside from the shape of your work, you tend to apply unique titles to them. Please tell us how you come up with these titles.
I tend to apply symbolic and code-based titles to my work. For example, my “Maku” series are thin like membrane. As membranes are a minimal border between the outside and inside of things, I chose this title to make the thinness of the clay simulate the thinness of membranes.
I titled my “Mukuro” series based on my discovery of the solidness of what remains. Other than the term’s implication of skeletal remains, Mukuro also means the surface of thick decaying trees, and I focused on the thinness of the remaining surface as the definition of the term Keigaika, which means to become a mere facade, suggests. Otherwise, in terms of clay, I study stratigraphic terminology and list up any term I feel attracted to. Once I’ve created my piece, I perform research on that term again, and if its definition fits, I apply it to my work. Additionally, I value how the term looks in written form. I don’t like it if a title looks unattractive when written out in Kanji and alphabet (laughs). For example, my core concept revolves around my instinctive sense of what looks good. I’d look at and ordinary stone and find its form beautiful or I’d find the ripples of a finished tube of glue attractive. On the contrary, there is no proof of authenticity behind this instinctive attraction. When I first started my career, I had avoided explaining my work. Now, however, I feel delighted whenever someone deeply understands and sympathizes with my work when I offer explanations.
— Please tell us about your impressions on cha-no-yu, which is also the theme of this project, as well as your sense of spirituality in your work.
I had been practicing various styles of Japanese tea ceremonies for about 5 years. I started studying the art since I felt it was somewhat similar to the art of ceramics. At first, I was overwhelmed by the techniques and processes of these ceremonies, but I was gradually able to recognize the flow of the seasons as I got accustomed to the art. I was able to recognize sounds I hadn’t been able to previously perceive and became capable of sensing the changes of my surroundings. For me, cha-no-yu was an indispensable experience that taught me to hone my senses.
In terms of its relationship with ceramics, I felt it had a strong connection to the culture of “Mitate.” For example, you can serve food on stones found randomly, pretending they were tableware, and you can use objects with different functions as bowls. Since a single idea can create various pieces of work, I find the culture to be extremely profound. I once created a matcha bowl that had a hole in it, but due to an established rule that specified the bowl’s face dedicated for drinking matcha, the bowl could not be used for tea ceremonies. However, I wanted to establish the bowl as a work of art, and therefore, I changed my views on it and started to think that it could be used for matcha if I removed the traditionally designated face for drinking the tea. There, I felt that the “Mitate” culture represented what I had wanted to achieve in terms of creation, and I felt comfortable incorporating it into my work.
— Whether it be positive or negative, the difference in outcome, regardless of the sense of liberty in the art, is definitely what defines the depth of cha-no-yu.
In principle, I only create things I want to create. Since there are many examples of phenomena I’ve created with this mentality, I feel that applying a sense of utility to the work is the most interesting part of this process. Therefore, I feel that creating pieces such as tea bowls for cha-no-yu is extremely entertaining. I believe these creations lie within the gap between everyday items and pieces of art, and their existence could be justified if the proper rules, such as whether their functions pass as a tea bowl, are followed. To me, this kind of idea is stimulating since it’s not something we think of on a daily basis.
— Lastly, please tell us of any new expressions you are in pursuit of as well as of your plans for the future.
One of my major goals is to come up with new creations as I continue to reinterpret ceramic materials without being bound to clay and glaze. Currently, I am working to enhance the density of my work by focusing on fine details while manipulating dynamic phenomena. For example, I would review the colors of my baked pieces and consider whether I had achieved the color I had intended to express. Through these efforts, I feel I can achieve never-before-seen results if I pursue the possibilities of colors. I believe I’ve reached a stage where I am confident that my skills have caught up with my ideas, and now, I must reconsider and revise my sense of aesthetics for aspects such as what I want to express, what I want to convey, and why I’m interested in certain factors. However, I still tend to create some of my work with superficial preferences, feeling satisfied with results simply because I feel they look good in terms of design. Therefore, I seek to make my work denser by becoming capable, through accomplishments achieved from trial-and-error, of proving that my works are beautiful as a result of them being based on certain phenomena. I don’t see a necessity in conveying my thoughts through my works of applying titles that explain what they are about. For example, it doesn’t matter if I had managed to express myself through the thinness of a piece or if I like a certain piece since I was able to express my ideas as I intended to. I think there is a great difference in intensity if you can create pieces while possessing an understanding of things that can’t be seen with the naked eye. I’d like to dig deeper in order to discover more about myself.
Moreover, in September, I am scheduled to participate as an artist-in-residence at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shigaraki City of Shiga Prefecture for 6 months. There will also be several other internationally active ceramic artists residing at the park. Though I’m excited to participate, the bigger my works are, I’m usually unable to control how they turn out since they are mainly representations of phenomena rather than form. However, since I’ve become more familiar with ceramics, I hope to produce unique pieces that can only be created in this new environment. I may, for example, scale-up the scope of my work. Though I’m not confident I’ll be able to create something I’ll be satisfied with, I’m sure that my disappointment will push me to be inspired to create something greater in the future. Since materials, techniques, form, and ceramics are filled with infinite possibilities, I am excited to find out how I myself will evolve as an artist.
Profile
Namika Nakai / 中井 波花
1993年北海道札幌市生まれ。多治見市陶磁器意匠研究所修了。陶芸において、ごく当たり前に使われる土と釉薬を、融点の異なる陶芸素材と再解釈しやきものの新しい表現を追求。歪みやひび割れを用いた、力強さと繊細さが共存するアンビバレントな美しさを表現している。
https://www.instagram.com/namika_nakai
Those phenomenon such as clacking, melting and warping are considered as threat for ceramic works but I believe that it is able to represents the ambivalent beauty of strength with delicacy and fragile.
The porcelain clay that has been thinly stretched by hand forming, like the minimum boundary between the inside and the outside. The wrinkle marks that appear on the surface show the environment and process at the time of forming like the stratum. The glaze which has a lower melting point than the porcelain clay, becomes one of the layers and changes the form by firing.
https://www.instagram.com/namika_nakai
【共同企画】
株式会社 無茶苦茶（Mucha-Kucha Inc.）
"Respect and Go Beyond"をミッションに日本の総合芸術である「茶の湯」
With the mission of "Respect and Go Beyond," the company is developing an art production business that raises the spirituality and aesthetics of the tea ceremony by "reinterpreting" the comprehensive Japanese art of "chanoyu" by crossing it with various domains such as technology and street culture.
