Japanese Ceramist: Taro Tabuchi
Delicate porcelain vessels made by Taro Tabuchi in his hand built wood fired kiln.
Taro Tabuchi enjoys the tactile nature of clay, and like a child likens it to “playing with mud”. This is no child’s play though and requires great dedication and practice to create works of such refinement. Completing his studies at the Osaka University of Arts in 2000, six years later Tabuchi returned in his birthplace, Takamatsu City, where he set up his studio and built his own wood fired kiln. His choice of firing porcelain in this type of kiln is an interesting one. Customarily fired in electric or gas kilns using easily controllable temperatures to retain it’s pure white colour, Tabuchi enjoys the challenge this unusual method provides. Due to wood firing’s unpredictable nature, the varying elements of the fire, the heat it produces, the ash deposits, and even the type of wood used, are all contributing factors which create unique markings on the porcelain. Winning a host of awards over the years from Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition, Takaoka Craft Exhibition, and International Mino Porcelain, Tabuchi is one hot talent to follow.
See below for a glimpse into Tabuchi’s process in which the firing of the objects takes an exhausting three days of constant vigilance.
Tabuchi in his studio, nestled in the mountainous region in the Kagawa prefecture Photos: Keisuke Osumi
Tabuchi’s hand built kiln Photos: Keisuke Osumi
The laborious process of firing the kiln over three long days Photos: Keisuke Osumi
To purchase Tabuchi’s work, visit Panorama, which offers international shipping and other Japanese artisans specialising in pottery, glass, and wood.
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