French Country Pottery

Pottery with the FT: Morihiro Hosokawa

The most remarkable thing about Morihiro Hosokawa’s premiership was his leaving of it. When Japanese prime ministers resign – hardly a rare event in the now-you-see-them, now-you-don’t world of politics in Tokyo – they hang around to manipulate affairs. Like puppeteers of the ancient Bunraku theatre, who handle their puppets in full view of the audience, the grandees of Japanese politics make little effort to hide their string-pulling.

Hosokawa was different. When, in April 1994, his short-lived but important administration collapsed after a mere nine months, he withdrew to the backbenches of the Diet, Japan’s parliament. Four years later, at the age of 60 – a baby in a system where 90-year-olds can hold political sway – he retired from politics entirely.

It was then that, on a whim, he took up pottery. He studied under Shiro Tsujimura, a gruff master of the art. Tsujimura called Hosokawa – a former prime minister who would normally expect to command reverence – a “stupid old man”. Hosokawa, the ageing apprentice – and one from an old aristocratic family at that – was obliged to sit in front of a wheel from six in the morning till seven at night watching the master at work. The training lasted 18 months.

“ Kata is very important for Japanese art,” says Hosokawa, now an alert and slim 73-year-old, when I visit him in his home-cum-studio in the town of Yugawara, about two hours outside Tokyo. It is a month after the earthquake, but this hilly resort of gurgling brooks and sulphurous steam looks untouched – by the 20th century, let alone by the recent grinding of tectonic plates.

The kata to which Hosokawa refers means “form” or “pattern”, the stylised movements the Japanese learn when they practice swordplay or tea ceremony, or when they slice raw fish. “In Kabuki and Noh theatre, they have to thoroughly understand kata ,” Hosokawa tells me as we walk through his cottage-sized house – like something from a Grimm’s fairy tale – and into the courtyard. “They learn it for decades.”

What today’s Noh actors – or potters or swordsmiths – learn, then, is the “perfect” way of performing their craft, refined by their ancestors over centuries. “Even the perfect way to tie the obi [sash] of a kimono took 700 years to perfect,” he says.

French Country Décor Finds A City Home « Emilia Ceramics

It’s amazing what a concerted design effort can do. I was so impressed by the redesign of a loft in a former factory building I saw on ParkslopePatch.com , inspired by French country decor . This family’s transformation of their living space makes it feel like anything but an urban environment! I particularly love the kitchen and dining area, as well as the use of salvaged materials to make a rustic and livable space.

Typically the rich colors of French country decor find inspiration from the mountains to the ocean and all the nature in between. Fibers, wood, and weathered stone inspire warm neutrals. Yellows become more golden; reds have a hint of orange; greens and blues are more mellow than vibrant, reflecting natural aging. There’s an approachability to it that I find truly irresistible.

Here, the weathered furniture and aged feel make this apartment look like a country cottage. Barnwood shelves, a rustic table, even antique tools and other accessories are all unique, yet come together seamlessly. Looking at the photos, I instantly thought about pieces by Sylvie Duriez and how her work would fit the space perfectly.

I love how ceramics from Provenca bring the warmth and brightness of the Mediterranean to the home year-round. Plates, bowls, platters, even jugs and vases keep sunshine present even on rainy days. Another element of Provenca (or Provence if you prefer) is a true connection to the rhythms of life. When there, I feel myself slowing down to match the dominant pace where a good life, not a fast one, is key.

Unique among ceramics from Provenca and what I particularly love about Sylvie Duriez’s work is the relaxed playfulness: Women reclining under trees, cats napping on armchairs, birds feasting on ripe fruit. She paints freely and no two pieces are ever alike, making them true functional works of art. This is quite different from traditional Majolica that follows specific, set designs. Since meeting Sylvie in 2007 I’ve seen her work evolve as she explores inspiring artistic avenues that combine beauty with function. Themes of women, flowers, birds, and other aspects of daily life capture moments to which everyone can relate. The result is pottery that adds warmth and personality to a typical meal – perhaps the best reflection of true Provenca attitude.

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