Starting November 27, CREATION Gallery G8 and Guardian Garden—two galleries in Tokyo’s Ginza district operated by Recruit Holdings—will host an exhibition of individually designed and fabricated Oborisoma-ware plates. The exhibition is the 2018 edition of the annual “CREATION Project,” this year representing a collaboration involving 167 creative artists and three pottery producers based in Fukushima. All items on display will be available for purchase, with net proceeds to be donated to “Save the Children.”
“Oborisoma” is a traditional type of ceramic ware of Namie, a small town in Fukushima Prefecture, that traces its history back as far as the late 17th century. Production of Oborisoma ware was suspended after Namie was severely impacted by the events of the Great East Japan Earthquake disaster of March 2011, but before long the local potters resumed operations at new kilns they established in other areas of the prefecture. Since then they have acquired their clay from Seto, a city in Aichi Prefecture, and despite the physical distances now separating the Oborisoma-ware kilns, the potters from Namie continue to collaborate closely. Today, young potters from outside Fukushima Prefecture have also joined in, helping to restore vigor to the area. As a result, thanks to the ties formed between many individuals of many different backgrounds, this prized tradition of Namie continues in Fukushima.
The items created in conjunction with CREATION Project 2018 are small Oborisoma-ware plates individually designed by 167 creative artists and fabricated in collaboration with three pottery producers specialized in this type of ceramic ware. Each item is handmade on a potter’s wheel. The fine cracks visible in some of the plates are a special feature of Oborisoma ware. They occur from contraction of the glaze when the kiln is opened to let the ceramic wares cool. The cracking is accompanied by a sound resembling the pleasant tinkling of a wind chime.
Also on display, together with the plates designed by the 167 creative artists, will be plates created by the local children of Namie. They designed the plates in a workshop held at the Namie Sosei Elementary and Junior High School, newly opened in the town after a lapse of seven years. The workshop was convened to have children become familiar with Namie’s traditional crafts.
We hope many people will take this opportunity to participate in this worthy charity event.
Prices
¥1,000 (tax included)
Purchasing
At the galleries: All plates on exhibit will be available for purchase at the two galleries during the exhibition.
Online: All items on exhibit will also be available for purchase online from November 27 through January 31, 2019. Items sold out at the galleries can be ordered online (made-to-order) between November 27 and December 22; after December 22, only remaining stock will be available for online purchase. All items will be shipped in February and March 2019.
URL: https://store.ponparemall.com/rcc-gallery/ (Japanese language only).
Allocation of Proceeds
Proceeds from this event (after production costs) will be donated to “Save the Children.” The funds will be used in Japan to relieve child poverty, prevent child abuse, support children living in disaster zones, etc.
Organizers and Venues
CREATION GALLERY G8
Recruit Ginza8 Bldg., 1F, 8-4-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8001
TEL: 03-6835-2260
Guardian Garden
Hulic Ginza 7-chome Bldg., B1F, 7-3-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8227
TEL: 03-5568-8818
Pottery Production
Ikariya Shoten, Kyogetsu-gama, Matsunaga-gama
Production Cooperation
Cooperation
Iwaki Wood Products Cooperative Association, Saito Kirizai Shop, Fukushima Association of Wood-Industry Cooperatives
Advertising Art
Exhibition Layout
Gallery Music
Photography
Katsuhiro Ichikawa (documentary), Ryuta Nasu (workshop, plate with horse design)
School Coordination
Nobuko Akashi We-Stains Inc.
Workshop at Namie Sosei Elementary and Junior High School
A workshop was organized to give the children of Namie an opportunity to design their own small plates. It was taught by art director and graphic designer Norio Nakamura. The participants were 45 students from seven local schools, including the newly built Namie Sosei Elementary and Junior High School where the event took place*. The plates designed by the students will be fired in a kiln and put on display together with the plates designed by the 167 creative artists. After the show, the plates will be returned to the children as a gift.
* The other six schools were Namie Elementary School#, Namie Tsushima Elementary School#, Tomioka 1st Elementary School, Tomioka 2nd Elementary School and Katsurao Elementary School#. (# Separate workshops were held on other days.)
Creation Project
CREATION Project is a series of annual charity exhibitions launched in 1990 to convey the fun and enjoyment of art and design to a large number of people. Each year works created on a noncommercial basis by artists with links to the two galleries have been put on display and offered for sale, and the proceeds have been donated to various charity causes. In 2009 this annual undertaking was named “CREATION Project.” From 2011 through 2015, the project was conducted to support recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami disaster of March 2011, generating donations totaling approximately ¥11.34 million. In 2016 a donation in the amount of ¥1.58 million was made in support of recovery from that year’s series of severe earthquakes in the Kumamoto region. From 2017 the scope of production bases for the project’s featured items was expanded nationwide. Going forward, the CREATION Project will continue as an event to demonstrate Japan’s traditional craftsmanship and industrial capabilities through the power of design.
CREATION Project 2011: Tote Bags Made in East Japan
CREATION Project 2012: EAST ALOHA
CREATION Project 2013: Little Handbags from Ishinomaki
CREATION Project 2014: Japanese-style Notebooks from Tohoku
CREATION Project 2015: Date Knitting
CREATION Project 2016: Indigo Cups
CREATION Project 2017: Tube Socks
