Tea cup set Masonobu Ando 安藤雅信

By Masanobu Ando

Ceramic artist/contemporary artist. He presides over "Galerie Momogusa" in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture. He has produced more than 1,000 kinds of standard tableware that can be served regardless of Japanese, Western, or Chinese cuisine, as well as tea utensils and sculptures.

The spirit

“After learning about old things, I base my production on new things that are suitable for modern times, things that I think would be great. I have always had the desire to mix and mix foreign cultures and not be bound by categories or boundaries.”

The technique of “tatara”

“In the study of general pottery, the production of a potter’s wheel has been emphasized. So I was more interested in the materials and low-tech techniques seen below, and not in the pottery‘s wheel."

“Unlike the potter’s wheel, you can freely create ovals and squares with the tatara. If it's a cup, I also like to add a handle to complete it."

The Value

“I believe that the job of art is to find new value and potential in things that no one has evaluated. It is what I want to do, and I am proud of what I have done, to work on everything, from techniques to materials.”

“Most wares don’t have a glaze on the back, but I didn’t want the ware to have a back. The probability of having defects when finished increases, but I have always done so.”