We talked to Masafumi Oshiro of Oshiro Kobo, who made a beautiful contrast between mats and gloss, focusing on Okinawan materials.
[1] About the trigger of pursuing the path of crafts, your own background, the history and formation of the workshop
Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture, where Oshiro Kobo is located, is also a place where Yachimun writer Masafumi Oshiro was born and raised. The vessel created in the outskirts of the city, where the papaya trees are grown around, is a moderate weight and fits in the palm of your hand.
The encounter with Yachimun dates back to the memory of the pottery festival that went around the age of 4-5. He said he loved the traditional Yachimin design, such as arabesque and round patterns and colors, and he was impressive enough to remember the scenes of the jar and vessels at that time.
After graduating from high school, I asked for a work unique to Okinawa, and chose a rokuro craftsman's way to store Awamori. In making sake jars, I felt interesting to create a new character, but through the encounter with a local Yachimun writer, I was gradually attracted to the width of the glaze expression that greatly influenced the impression of Yachimun. "I want to be a writer loved by the local area," he will go on to Yachimun's pot.
[2] Being working to stimulate your five senses and conscious
The contrast between the matte texture of the ground and the gloss of the pattern, which is an indispensable expression for Oshiro's vessel, is born by accumulating more complex processes than usual. Even on the same white background, the matte and glossy parts look like a different color. The idea of combining different textures is said to be brought in by observing various textures that exist around, such as pottery, porcelain, painting, nature, and sometimes metal tools.
In addition, it is impressive that paintings such as arabesque and round crests are clearly drawn, and they have a strong gloss. The roots of detailed brush brushes are in calligraphy that they have been good at for more than 10 years because of their childhood.
"The brush brushes cultivated in the calligraphy are used in the current style. By painting the pattern carefully without blurring, the glaze unique to Okinawan volcanic ash can be maximized."
[3] What we value and commitment in the work production, what we want to convey through the work and what we want to fulfill
Oshiro's vessel uses traditional Yachimun's design, but its expression is full of originality. In particular, the glaze uses local materials to feel Okinawa -like from its color and texture.
"I dig my own glaze by digging the mud called Kucha from Okinawa and the soil near the workshop."
A dark candy -colored bowl with a porch on the back side of the brush on the back side is made from a glaze made from Tomigusuku Ibsite. One of the expressions unique to Oshiro -san's vessels is the dynamism of the flowing brush and the delicate shade of amber, which are realized by using the soil that is originally said to be difficult to use for painting. is.
The reason is that it is a bowl that does not get tired even if you use it everyday because it incorporates a number of differences in texture in the vessel and shows a different expression every time you see it. If you look closely from various angles to the back of the vessel, as well as painting, you will be able to feel the desire to feel the warmth of hand work.
[4] What we are trying to inherit traditional technology and culture and what we want to challenge in the future
Oshiro's search for style is widely looked at from folk art to contemporary art, accumulating his knowledge and evolving the work.
"I want to make things that consumers will not get tired of being a traditional vessel," says Oshiro, who wants to focus on the employment and development of younger generations in the future. The warmth and the thoughts of making a bowl filled with Okinawan love will lead to the next generation from here.
You can see the product here ↓
See the products of "Masafumi Oshiro"
At Serendouce Crafts, JapanWe propose modern beauty and comfort living with traditional crafts.
You can also see the work from Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/serendouce_crafts_/