⑧Artist Profiles MATSUNAGA Keita

Matsunaga Keita was born and grew up in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture, where 70% of the tableware used in Japan is produced. Since his parents are both potters, ceramics is an everyday part of his life. Mino ware includes not only tableware but also tea pottery, and its molding methods range from casting to wheel spinning. Of the various techniques, Matsunaga uses ones for mass production most distant from art. By slowly pouring the clay slip into the mold, his casting technique produces works with a rough texture reminiscent of geological strata. This indicates that the artist’s works are art rooted in the soil deposited over a long period of time. As for decoration, some of his works are made by transferring photos taken by him onto decals. The transfer is, of course, a technique for mass production, and the photos of his studio’s tin walls and rubble disposal site represent the birth and demise of ceramics. By tracking Matsunaga’s works, we may be able to see something about how upbringing environment affects creation.